Not Quite a Fairytale
by littlekat1010
Summary: A Marriage Law fanfic. Ginny Weasley is paired with Lucius Malfoy. There are no immediate fireworks between these two. Rated M for a reason in later chapters. Does not adhere to HBP or DH.
1. Chapter 1

**Dear Readers: **

** Greetings! This is my first fan fiction, although I have been writing original creative narratives since before I can remember. I was always a little skeptical of the world of fan fiction, but as I have explored this site, I became so intrigued by the material I found here that I felt compelled to try my own hand at it. **

** The stories that intrigued me the most were those pertaining to the marriage law. I found the idea of arranged marriage within the world of Harry Potter to be stellar, but the stories (while often well written) were a bit redundant in theme. I have not read the actual guidelines of the original challenge, (I had trouble finding them), but since I wanted to create something a bit anti-cliché, I probably would have tossed them out anyway. **

** I hope you enjoy this, and I promise to update regularly…at least until second semester finals. Reviews are more than welcome!**

** Littlekat1010**

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_Dear Ms. Weasley,_

_ On July 10__th__, 2009, the Wizengamot unanimously passed the Marriage Law. This law affects every witch from the age of 17 to 35, and every wizard from the age of 17 to 50. According to Ministry records, you became of age on June 27__th__, 2009. This is a notification that you are within the bounds of this law. Further information will follow._

_ Best Wishes,_

_Department of Marriage_

_The Ministry of Magic_

One glance at her friends sitting at the table next to her told Ginny Weasley that they were as confused as she was. Hermione was the first to speak.

"Mr. Weasley, what is this talking about?" All eyes in the room turned to stare at a very serious looking Mr. Weasley. He cleared his throat nervously.

"This will not be easy for any of you to hear, but there are some things you need to understand. First of all, I can tell you for a fact that the Wizengamot was not unanimous on this issue. However, as has been the case since the fall of You-Know-Who, the Ministry is doing its best to present a united front. They want to avoid conflict, particularly with this law."

There was an awkward silence, then Sirius cleared his throat. He too held a letter in his hand. "That doesn't explain a whole lot, Arthur."

Arthur Weasley grimaced and continued. "The marriage is addresses the post-war issue of, well, death."

"Huh?" This came from Ron, but he was voicing what everyone was thinking.

"In the war, Ronald, we lost many of the younger generation. This is the generation that would soon have been married, would have had children, and would have grown the magical community. As it is, our numbers have severely decreased as many of our own are dead or in Azkaban. Many of the older generation lost spouses, and are unlikely to remarry on their own. The Ministry has found a way to…rectify the situation."

Ginny could feel her stomach tighten. He could not possibly mean that. It was too strange, too barbaric.

"They have decided to arrange marriages in order to …repopulate the magical community."

There was a collective gasp as realization of what Arthur had said hit the roomful of people. Hermione dropped her head in her hands, and Harry and Ron simply stared in shock. Sirius looked furiously angry.

_"Oh gods" _thought Ginny. _"I'm barely 17"_

"Will we—do—do have any choice in the…pairings?" Harry's voice shook noticeably, and Ginny knew he was thinking of Luna, his girlfriend since the end of the war.

Arthur shook his head. "The Ministry did specify that they would try to take into account existing relationships, and of course, engaged or married couples are exempt. But I doubt everyone will be lucky enough to be paired with the person they're dating. Once you are assigned a spouse, there can be no changes. They want to avoid the chaos that would occur if everyone were allowed to switch spouses."

A heavy silence fell over the room. It was Sirius that broke it. "How long do we have?"

Arthur sighed. "You should be getting your pairings, and a full copy of the law within the week. You have a full week from the day you receive you letter to make the marriage legal." He shook his head numbly. "I'm sorry, kids. I know this is the last thing you want. To be honest, I think it's a huge mistake on the Wizengamot's part. A community full of loveless marriages…that cannot be a good thing."

"Two weeks." Everyone looked at Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken since they received the letters. "I'm barely 17 years old, and I will be married in less than two weeks. And who the hell am I going to be paired with?

**Sorry it was so short...my first chapters often are.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Dear Readers,**

** I'm sorry my chapters tend to be short. I like to end a chapter based on where I feel is a good spot to break the flow of the story, rather than the length of the chapter. I hope you are enjoying this so far. Please review!**

** Littlekat1010**

Ron was the first person to receive his letter. The white and brown speckled Ministry owl swooped over the kitchen table during breakfast only two days later. He choked on his oatmeal when the bird dropped the letter onto his plate. The noisy kitchen suddenly became very quite. Red faced, he picked up the letter and just stared at it.

"Go on, Ronald." Said Mrs. Weasley gently. Ron gulped and opened the envelope. There was a minute of breathless waiting while he read the letter and then sighed happily.

"Susan Bones. I got Susan Bones." He smiled in relief. "She was Hufflepuff in our year."

"Amelia Bones' niece?" Mr. Weasley mused. "Congratulations, son." There was a minute or two of minor chaos as everyone converged to congratulate Ron at once, but then an uneasy silence resumed as everyone affected by the law returned to wondering who they would be paired with. Ginny took a deep breath to untangle the knot that had settled itself in her stomach, but it refused to go away.

Harry's letter came that afternoon. He did not hesitate as Ron had, but instead took a deep breath and tore open the letter. His face broke into an immediate grin. "Luna!" There was a collective cheer in the room, but as happy as Ginny was for her friend, a part of her, the very, very selfish part, was disappointed. True, she and Harry had ended things more than a year ago, but they had remained friends. Ginny had thought that maybe, just maybe, if they had to get married, they could have found that spark again. Even if there had never been any romance, at least she knew him. She shook herself mentally, and forced herself to focus on the thought that Harry and Luna belonged together.

For two days, no more was heard from the ministry of magic. Then two more ministry owls once again interrupted breakfast at the Burrow. Ginny's heart sped up. "_Oh gods, let it be for me. I just need to know." _The owls swooped over the table twice before dropping their letters, but not in front of Ginny. Hermione and Sirius picked up the envelopes and slowly opened them. Their eyes met across the table in disbelief. Sirius pushed back abruptly from the table.

"Excuse me." He said, and stalked out of the room. Everyone watched him go, wondering what kind of match could have upset him so badly.

"Hermione, who is it?" Harry asked eagerly, hoping for the best for his friends. But Hermione didn't answer. Wordlessly she tapped her want against the Ministry's letter, and watched it burst into flames. No one spoke as they stared at the smoldering paper. It was Harry who reached across the table and picked up the letter Sirius had left there.

"It says" he swallowed hard. "that he's been paired with Hermione Granger.

*****

"_I'm the last one" _was all Ginny could think. She was exhausted, emotionally and physically. She never slept more than an hour without waking up, whether from a dream or from pure restlessness, she didn't know. If she dreamt, she never remembered. Her waking hours were consumed with worry about her own inevitable pairing. The only time she was not thinking about it was when she was thinking about her best friend. Hermione had become quiet and skittish, and she wouldn't talk to anyone about it. If Ginny tried to bring it up, Hermione immediately walked away or changed the subject. As far as Ginny knew, Hermione and Sirius had not spoken to each other since they had received their letters.

It was a week to the day when the letter finally came. Ginny was a wreck as she picked it up. At least once she knew, she could relax, and focus on dealing with the reality of her upcoming wedding. _"Maybe it will be Dean. Dean would be ok. Or maybe Neville."_ She closed her eyes, ignoring the others at the table, and wished with all her might that it was someone good. Eyes still closed, her fingers shaking, she opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. Ginny took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and began to read. She ignored the body of the letter, her eyes falling to the name printed in bold at the bottom of the page. Lucius Malfoy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Dear Readers,**

** Ah, a chapter with a bit of length. I have never written like this before. Usually I analyze and re-analyze, and edit, and re-edit. But while that is all fine for material intended for publication, I find it rather freeing to publish this material raw, straight from my mind, with minimum editing. I hope you are enjoying this. Reviews always welcome!**

** Littlekat1010**

"Impossible!" Harry breathed when Ginny read the name out loud. Ron swore violently, and Mrs. Weasley grew very pale.

"But how-why-isn't he in Azkaban?" It was the first time Hermione had spoken without being addressed in days.

Arthur Weasley shook his head in disgust, obviously shaken by the news. "He got off easy—6 months, I think it was. Without the dementors to guard Azkaban, it's not much of a sentence at all. I'm sure he had to pull more than a few strings for the judge to ignore his history of dark magic and the obvious evidence against him, but the Malfoy's basically have unlimited funds. Ginny—my little girl." He trailed off into a whisper as Molly began to sob quietly.

Ginny couldn't speak. She couldn't move. This was impossible. The man was more than 20 years her senior. He was a death eater. He was cruel, and cold, and he had raised _Draco._ That last thought alone was enough to terrify her.

"Ginny? Ginny are you alright?"

Of course she wasn't alright. Why would someone ask that question right now? She was going to marry a monster. She had to walk up the aisle to Lucius Malfoy.

"Ginny?" She was broken out of her own thoughts by Hermione's hands on her shoulder. She looked up at the faces of her friends and family peering anxiously at her, several of them tear streaked. Ginny wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. All she could do was choke out for words.

"I can't do it."

"You don't have to!" Ron burst out. "You can refuse! You can—"

"Ron!" Mr. Weasley cut him off abruptly. "Don't make this harder than it already is. She doesn't have a choice."

"None?" Ginny wanted to sound strong, defiant, but the single word came out in a hoarse whisper. Mr. Weasley shook his head.

"Ginny, the penalty is—it's punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban. The Ministry sees it as treason. In their eyes, you would be putting the whole future of the wizarding community in jeopardy." He was fighting back tears. "I'm sorry, baby." His words, so devoid of hope, combined with Hermione's gentle touch on her shoulders, broke down the dam of shock, and her emotions flow through. Ginny's shoulders slumped in defeat, and she finally began to cry.

*****

Ginny got no sleep that night. She kept waking up with from what she knew were nightmares, but she couldn't recall what they were. She was just left with in a cold sweat with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was thankful when the first rays of morning sun began to shine through her east-facing windows.

Breakfast was served in relative silence. Ginny went through the motions of helping her mother make breakfast, but she felt like a zombie. She felt numb, like a zombie.

The silence was broken by the arrival of another owl. This one was snowy white with silver feathers, and it dropped its burden in front of Ginny's plate. She sighed in relief when she saw that it wasn't from the ministry, and opened it.

_Miss Weasley,_

_ I am sure that by now you have been notified of our impending marriage. If it is agreeable to you, I will arrange for the official ceremony to take place tomorrow afternoon at 4 PM, immediately after which we will proceed to my lodgings at Malfoy Manor. Please reply by owl._

_ Lucius Malfoy_

Ginny could feel the numb feeling return. She welcomed it. She didn't want to feel; it would destroy her. No, numb was better than the pain she knew was lying beneath. She calmly folded up the letter and set back down on the table.

"Excuse me." She said quietly as she left the table and headed for the comfort of her bedroom. She had just flopped face down onto her bed when she heard her door open. Hermione's soft voice cut through the numbness like a knife.

"Ginny?" Hermione took Ginny's silence as an invitation, and shut the door behind her. "Ginny, sweetie, yo u have to talk to me. This—this isn't you."

Ginny raised her head to look at Hermione. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You don't shut down when things get messed up. You don't hide. You fight. You yell, you cry, _you talk. _You don't hide. Not you, Ginny." Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and squeezed her best friend's shoulder comfortingly.

Ginny sat up and stared at Hermione. "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione replied innocently.

Ginny didn't answer; she just waited. Hermione looked down shamefacedly, then shrugged her narrow shoulders.

"I got over myself. I was so sure that my pairing was the end of my life—hell, I thought it was the end of the world. Yours, well, let's just say it put things in perspective for me. Sirius…he's not my ideal husband, Ginny, but at least I know I can trust him. You were there for me when I was moping over marrying a perfectly respectable man. The least I can do I support you through this."

Hermione's hands reached out and took Ginny's. "Ginny, you're trembling. Talk to me."

When Ginny, spoke, it was in a whisper, as though she didn't want anyone else to know her fears. "I'm so scared, Mione. A marriage without love is bad enough, but this? Everything I've ever heard of this man is despicable. Murder, and dark magic, and-and rape. That's what scares me most."

Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Lucius Malfoy is no angel, Ginny, but you surely he wouldn't do that to his wife. Surely he won't expect you to actually sleep with him."

Ginny's answer came in a hoarse voice. "We don't have a choice, Mione. Magical marriages aren't legal until they're consummated."

Hermione paled, and Ginny knew that she was thinking of her own upcoming wedding night with Sirius. "I'll lose everything." Ginny continued. "What if he doesn't let me see you, or my family, or Harry? I graduated young, and thank heavens. He could have stopped me from finishing school. My dad put half of his fellow Deatheaters in prison. What if he decides to take revenge on me?"

"Ginny, you're assuming—"

"What am I supposed to assume, Hermione? That his reputation for the past 30 years is a just a misunderstanding? That Lucius Malfoy is really a nice, sweet guy? My life is over, Mione. Tomorrow, at four, my life is over."


	4. Chapter 4

**Dear Readers,**

** Another short one! But as I do update quickly, I won't apologize. I hope you're enjoying the journey…I am. Reviews are welcome!**

** Littlekat1010**

Ginny returned to the breakfast table, her face still unstained by tears. She sat down and met her father's eyes.

"What do I do, dad? What do I tell him?"

Arthur Weasley looked deep into the sapphire blue eyes of his only daughter, reached across the table, and squeezed her hand. Molly clung to Arthur, as if for support. "Ginny, we both know that a week isn't going to improve Lucius Malfoy, or your opinion of him."

Ginny didn't reply.

"It will only make it harder, Ginny." This came from George. He and Fred were already engaged to Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell respectively, and had been unaffected by the marriage law. Other than the fact that they wanted to strangle whatever idiot in the Ministry that had decided to pair their innocent sister with Malfoy, that is.

"He's right, Gin." Fred added, in an unusually serious tone. "Maybe it would be better to do it quickly…like ripping off a scab." Hermione shot Fred a look that very clearly said "You are not helping" and he shut up.

"Lucius Malfoy may be an asshole, Ginny, but he's not a fool."

The entire table looked up as Sirius entered the kitchen, looking as though he too had been low on sleep. No one had seen him since he received the letter. He ignored the looks from the rest of the table and met Ginny's eyes.

"Malfoy barely escaped a serious Azkaban sentence, and despite his ungodly amounts of money, has lost a good deal of prestige among government officials. Your family, on the other hand, has done nothing but make a good name for themselves."

"What are you saying?" Ginny asked.

Sirius took three slow steps into the kitchen and crouched down in front of Ginny. "You have the entire order behind you, Miss Weasley, and half the Ministry. If Lucius Malfoy tries anything, he'll get his due, and he knows it. As I said before, he's no fool." Sirius stood. "I on the other hand…" His eyes found Hermione, who was staring red faced into her lap. "Hermione, could I have a word with you? I believe—I believe we have a wedding to discuss." Hermione nodded and excused herself. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Sirius and Hermione left to figure things out.

"He's right, Ginny." Said Harry. "We'll hold Malfoy accountable."

Ginny looked around the table. Every person in the room was looking at her with such love, such fiery determination that for a moment, just a moment, she felt the slightest bit better. It was enough.

Her reply was simple.

_Mr. Malfoy,_

_ I indeed received the notification. Tomorrow at 4 is perfectly acceptable for me. _

_ Ginny Weasley_

Something didn't quite look right to her. She thought a moment, aware that everyone was watching her. In a moment inspiration, she magically erased her signature and resigned her name.

_Ginevra Weasley_

"Why did you do that, dear?" inquired Molly.

Ginny looked up and met her mother's eyes. "Because Ginny is my childhood name. And I mustn't be a child today."


	5. Chapter 5

**Dear Readers,**

** Chapter 5! I'm having so much more fun with this than I ever than I could with someone else's characters. While there are certain limitations to writing for already-developed characters, I find it relaxing, and far less strenuous. **

** I hope you all are enjoying this as much as I am. Review, Review, Review!!**

** Littlekat1010**

Just before Ginny was about to go to bed, there was a knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in." she said.

Sirius's head popped in. "Hey, Ginny. Mione told me you've been having trouble sleeping, and I thought this might help." He held out a tiny bottle filled with a ruby colored potion. He smiled. "Dreamless Sleeping Draught, but don't breathe a word of it to your mother. She wouldn't approve."

Ginny held the tiny bottle in her hand and smiled at Sirius gratefully. "Not even a peep. I promise."

There was an awkward silence, then both began to speak.

"Did you—"

"Ginny I—"

They laughed awkwardly. "You go first." Sirius said.

"I was just wondering if you and Hermione worked everything out." Sirius ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Not that it's any of my business." Ginny said quickly, afraid that she had pried to much.

Sirius shook his head and gave her a wry smile. "No, Ginny, it is your business. Your best friend is marrying, well, me. Anyone can see she's been miserable lately." He gave another sigh.

"Sirius, you haven't exactly been chipper yourself. No one has seen you for days."

"We talked, Ginny. It was awkward and uncomfortable, but it's a start. We just—there's so much we have to work through, and so little time." He looked even more tired as he began to talk about it. "Don't worry about us, Ginny; we'll figure it out. Right now, you need to take that potion and go to sleep. You have a big day tomorrow." He kissed her on the forehead with fatherly affection, and left her to sleep.

Ginny uncorked the potion, threw back her head, and swallowed it in one gulp. It tasted like summer. She lay her head down on the pillow, and for the first time in a week, instantly fell asleep.

*****

"Ginny, Ginny, wake up, dear." Mrs. Weasley shook her only daughter gently, wishing that she would let her sleep through this horrible day. Ginny smiled sleepily and stretched, then rolled over.

"Five more minutes, Mum."

Molly sighed heavily. "Ginny, there's a lot to do before four o'clock. It's nearly ten."

Ginny's sleepy smile faded as she remembered what she had to do today.

"Alright, I'm up." Her voice was quiet and tense, and it worried Molly Weasley.

Her daughter was a fighter, with a strong will and a spunky spirit. In a marriage to Lucius Malfoy, that could be dangerous. He could crush her, both emotionally and physically. And then there was the issue of the wedding night. Molly had not brought the matter up, thinking that Ginny had enough to think about, but they were running out of time.

"Ginny," Molly sighed "We need to talk. About…tonight."

Her daughter looked at her as if she knew what was coming. "Mum, please. Don't make me think about it."

"Ginny, in less than twelve hours, you won't just be thinking about it. Please, just hear me out."

Ginny sighed and nodded resignedly.

"A wedding night is supposed to be a wonderful thing, Gin. When two people desire each other so strongly, it's not much of a problem to push nerves aside. It can be beautiful."

Ginny kept her eyes focused on the bedspread, her hands lightly tracing the floral design. "I'm not just nervous, Mum. I'm scared." Her voice was hoarse.

"Ginny, honey, it is very important that you listen to me. Lucius Malfoy is not—he might be—he's not the ideal husband, but he has no reason to hurt you intentionally."

Ginny could have listed a dozen reasons right then, but she let her mother continue.

"But he has a temper, my love. Promise me you won't provoke it. Promise me you won't fight him. If he has any sense of decency, he'll leave you alone after the consummation. All you have to get through is tonight."

Ginny felt the familiar sense of numb hopelessness that had consumed her for the past week return. She would not fight Mr. Malfoy. If she wanted to, she could not have. All the fight she had in her had left. Or maybe it hadn't. Maybe it was buried deep inside of her being. Either way, she knew that summoning it back would be too painful to bear, but she could never have told that to her mother. She just nodded mutely.

"I promise, Mum."

Molly fought back tears as she looked at her 17 year old daughter. The war had forced her to miss a part of her childhood, and now this law, and the man was being forced to wed, would take the rest. She gave Ginny a quick hug, afraid that if she held on too long she would fall apart. She had to be strong, for Ginny.

"See you downstairs, baby."

******

The day passed in a haze for Ginny. She remembered eating breakfast. She hadn't been hungry, but she knew her mother would not take no for an answer. She had mechanically responded to her family and friend's attempts to lighten the mood, smiling when it was appropriate, and all the while feeling nothing.

She remembered Hermione and Molly taking her by the floo network to Diagon Alley for something appropriate to wear. She had tried on dress after dress, hem and haw over the details, and offering diplomatic opinions when needed. She walked out of the store, gown in hand, and no recollection of what it looked like. Shoes and accessories had been quickly selected, and they had made their way back to the Burrow.

By 2 o'clock Ginny was sitting in front of the mirror while Hermione worked her magic with hair and makeup. She was guided into the simple gown and robes and descended the stairs to the waiting assembly.

Mr. Weasley blinked back tears as Ginny appeared. He was the first to step forward and pull her into an embrace. "It's not what I wanted for you," he whispered in her ear "but you look absolutely beautiful."

He put his arm around her shoulders and walked her to the fireplace. "Bride first."

Ginny stepped in. "Department of Marriage!"

*****

She stumbled out of the fireplace into what appeared to be a small sitting room. It was empty. The rest of the family followed, and Hermione cleaned them all off with a wave of her wand.

"Good afternoon! You must be the Weasley party!" A petite, blonde woman in light blue robes appeared in the doorway. "My name is Dana Sapkins, Assistant to the Head of the Department of Marriage!" Her voice was pleasant enough, if a little perky. "I will be the Ministry official overseeing the ceremony today. Right this way!"

They followed down a hallway decorated in light blue flowers, and just a little too much tulle. Ginny could feel her hands beginning to shake. At the end of the hallway was a gilded door. Dana Sapkins turned to face them. "Now," she said happily "would you like a full ceremony? Candles, flowers, music..." her eyes acquired a dreamy look, and her voice became softer. "Or would you prefer just the legalities?"

Ginny stared at Dana—was the woman insane? This was a not a romantic situation in the least. "Just the legalities." She replied shortly. The tiny woman nodded, clearly disappointed.

"Oh. Very well then, come along." She opened the door to a small room that bore a resemblance to a court room. Standing at the front, black robes with silver accents, pale hair tied back neatly, was Lucius Malfoy.

Ginny could not bring herself to look at him. She kept her eyes down, afraid that they would show the panic she was feeling. She couldn't do this. She could not marry this man. She felt someone's hands push her gently forward to stand next to him. They stood three feet apart, but he was too close.

"Miss Weasley" He greeted her cordially.

She shivered slightly. His voice was so cold, so aristocratic. She felt Hermione reach forward and squeeze her hand encouragingly. "Mr. Malfoy." She managed to croak out, not caring if she sounded confident.

"Well, let's get started!" Dana chirped happily. "Guests can be seated. Will the couple please join hands?"

Ginny couldn't move. She was frozen in place with fear and trepidation. She could feel him looking at her expectantly, holding out his hand to her, but she couldn't make herself take it. Finally, she felt him reach down and grasp her hand in his. His skin was warmer than she had expected. But then, she had been expecting ice.

Dana's words drifted over her as Ginny stared straight ahead, not daring to meet the eyes of the man next to her, not wanting to catch the eye of one of her family. If she did that, she might break down.

"…honor him, respect him, care for him, as long as you both shall live?"

It took Ginny a moment to realize that Dana was addressing her. "I do." She said remotely, not quite sure what vow she had just taken.

"And do you, Lucius Malfoy…" Ginny went back to staring straight ahead.

"Will the couple please face each other, and join hands?" Ginny turned in slowly, by now aware enough to meet his other hand in the middle. She focused her eyes on the front of his robes while Dana encircled them with her wand, binding them in marriage forever.

"You may now kiss your bride!"

Oh gods, not here, not in front of her family and friends. She closed her eyes and waited. She felt his breathe on her face before his lips lightly grazed her cheek. She opened her eyes, drawing a shaky breathe, and for the first time looked Lucius Malfoy in the eyes. She couldn't see what he was thinking.

"May I present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy."


	6. Chapter 6

**Dear Readers,**

** Hello, and sorry about the gap between updates. I was unsure about how to get into this chapter. I'd like to thank you all for the reviews, (please, review more!!!!) and I hope you enjoy chapter 6!**

** Littlekat1010**

Lucius Malfoy looked down at the girl in front of him and sighed inwardly. This was ridiculous.

After the ceremony Ginevra Weasley had said goodbye to her family and friends, and then returned to his side, never once meeting his eyes. Lucius hated using the Floo Network, so he had looked down at her and said, "Hold onto me." She hadn't moved, so he had put one arm around her shoulders and turned on the spot, bringing them into the entry way of Malfoy Manor.

That is where they were standing as he contemplated his situation. He had been less than pleased about the letter informing him of his upcoming marriage, but there had been little he could do about it. Five years ago, perhaps, he could have used his money and influence to skirt around the law. Or course, five years ago, he had a wife and a son. He mentally shook off thoughts of Narcissa and Draco. He had mourned for them enough. He had more pressing things to deal with at the moment.

His dread of the marriage had only increased when he discovered that he was to be married to a mere child, scarcely even of age. What he had remembered of Ginny Weasley consisted of a shy, awkward 11 year old with flaming red hair and second hand robes. Looking at her now, he had to admit that she had grown out of her awkwardness. She was still small, no taller than 5'5", but her hair had mellowed to an auburn color that was rather pretty. Her baby face had been replaced with high, sculpted cheek bones and full lips. He suspected that her pale green robes complemented her face perfectly, but he couldn't tell for sure, because she still wouldn't look at him. Apparently she hadn't grown out of the shyness.

A small voice by his knees interrupted his thoughts, and he looked down to see Caplet, his house elf.

"I trust that Master's journey went well?"

"Yes Caplet, thank you." Kindness to house elves was not in Lucius Malfoy's nature, or what he had been brought up with. However, the loss of one had been enough for him to make a change. He may have been harsh, but he was not stupid. Elves, as he had discovered, were not easy to replace, no matter how powerful your family may be. "Please show Mrs. Malfoy the way to my chamber and attend to her needs. See that her trunks are unpacked by tomorrow morning.

"Yes Master. This way, Mistress Malfoy, Caplet will show you."

Lucius watched the girl go and sighed, this time out loud.

*****

Ginny Weasley had never seen any place like Malfoy Manor before. The only word she could think of to describe it was lush. Everything was decorated in dark, rich colors that were perfectly coordinated. Once she was out of Mr. Malfoy's sight, Ginny took her eyes off the floor and began to take in her surroundings. Caplet tottered in front of her, Ginny's three trunks floating beside him, held up by his own potent magic. The house elf wore a clean white towel with an emerald green M monogrammed in the corner

The marble floors were dark gray, almost black, with dark green specks glistening from them. Ginny suspected that the flooring in this single hallway cost more than the entire burrow. The walls were hung with elaborate tapestries that, despite their perfect condition, gave the air of being very, very old. Between each tapestry was an ornate metal sconce that held a slender candle, magically enhanced to give off much more light that a candle should. The effect was beautiful.

"Here we are, Mistress Malfoy." Caplet's high pitched voice brought Ginny back to reality. She shuddered involuntarily at being addressed as a Malfoy.

They stood in the doorway of what Ginny assumed was Lucius Malfoy's bedroom. Like everything else she had seen of his house, it was exquisite. She took off her shoes and stepped onto the thick carpet, perfectly soft beneath her sore feet. There were two wardrobes, both made of a fine, dark wood with detailed carvings. In one corner of the room, there was no wall, but a three huge windows that curved out away from the rest of the house. The curtains were shut, but there was a window seat covered in deep red cushions. And there was the four poster bed. Ginny averted her eyes, not quite ready to focus on that particular aspect of these chambers.

"Is there anything else I can get you, Mistress?"

Ginny smiled in spite of herself. The little elf in front of her looked up with his wide eyes, his bat like ears perky, hoping to be of some use to her. Surrounded by all of the finery, Ginny suddenly felt very sweaty and uncomfortable.

"I'd like to take a bath, if it wouldn't be too much trouble."

Caplet nodded excitedly, practically dragging her by the hand to the bathroom door at the other end of room. In the center of the tiled floor was a huge silver bath tub with water spouts all around the outside. Caplet snapped his fingers and foamy water began to rush out of all the faucets. The tub was full in seconds.

"Mistress can leave her clothes on the bedroom floor. Caplet will take them to be cleaned. Those three spouts" he pointed to the right side of the tub, where three different colored faucets stood. "have different kinds of soaps and bubbles. Tap them with your wand, and it will start. Tap it again to stop it. Does Mistress need anything else?"

Ginny shook her head and said her thanks. Caplet bowed low.

"If you need anything, Mistress, just call out my name. Caplet with pop in." Ginny nodded and with one more bow, Caplet left.

Ginny stood next to the bathroom door for a moment, unsure of what to do. What if Malfoy came in while she was bathing? There was a moment of indecision as her need to be clean fought with her fear of the man who was now legally her husband. Practicality won out in the end, and she quickly stripped down, leaving her clothes in a pile outside the door as Caplet had instructed. She slipped back into the bathroom, taking her wand with her, shutting and magically sealing the door. Her mind knew that Lucius Malfoy would have no difficulty breaking through the magical barrier, but they made her feel better nonetheless. She tested the water with her hand, and finding it the perfect temperature, slipped into the warmth. Her body relaxed instantly as the magical muscle relaxants in the water swirled around her, but her mind was in confusion.

She was here. She was trapped. And tonight…No matter what train of thought Ginny took, it always seemed to lead her to the inevitable tonight. She had never done more than a little light snogging with Dean Thomas, and not much more with Harry. The thought of let a Death Eater, _that_ Death Eater, touch her in that way made her shudder with fear and disgust. Maybe she didn't let him? What if she put a stop to all of this right now? She could knock herself out with her wand, and her body would just slip under the water. By the time he found her, it would be too late.

Her mother's face flashed in her mind, then her father's. She knew she did not have a choice. If she let herself drown here, it would cause her family more pain than if she died at Lucius Malfoy's own hands. Not that that was a possibility. He was cruel, but he probably wasn't stupid enough to kill her. Ginny sunk further down into the silver tub, pushing thought of any kind out of her head, and letting the numbness return.

*****

Lucius slipped quietly into his bedroom. The girl was nowhere in sight; she must still be bathing. Caplet had informed him that was what she was doing, and he was slightly relieved that she was not done yet. He walked silently to the bathroom door and put his hand up to it. He could feel her magical sealing charms to keep him out. He could have broken past them easily, but Lucius had no desire to disturb her privacy. He took out his wand and charmed the door, which began to glow with a very faint light. He would feel a tug on his wand if the girl tried to harm herself. He would not be responsible for her taking her own life, and he doubted the Weasley family would believe that he was innocent.

Lucius looked longingly toward his luxurious bathroom. He would have liked to relax in his own spa for twenty minutes or so, but that obviously was not an option. Nor did he wish to be in the bedroom when the girl emerged. He doubted she would appreciate that. Resigned, he summoned his silk green robe from his wardrobe, and tucked his wand back in his pocket. He would use the guest bathroom.

*****

Ginny would have liked to stay in the huge, beautiful bathing room for hours, but she wanted to get dried off and dressed before Mr. Malfoy decided to make his way up to the bedroom. She reluctantly pushed herself out of the silver tub and tried herself off with the softest, fluffiest towel she had ever used. Wrapping it around her, she hesitantly stepped toward the door, but stopped.

"Caplet?" She called hesitantly. She had never dealt with a house elf before. She wasn't quite sure how their magic worked. Apparently it worked quite efficiently, because the little elf appeared immediately, bowing low.

"What does mistress need?"

"Caplet, is—is Mr. Malfoy up here yet?"

Caplet shook his head. "Master is in the guest bathroom, Mistress."

Ginny sighed in relief. "Caplet, do you know where my things are? My hairbrush and clothing and things like that?"

Caplet nodded eagerly. "Caplet has had Lula set out everything Mistress needs."

"Who is Lula?"

"The other elf in Master Malfoy's house, of course. She put everything on the bed. Does Mistress need anything else?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, but Caplet? Do you think you could call me Ginny? Misress…it's too old."

Caplet nodded. "Anything Miss Ginny wants." He bowed, and disappeared with a crack.

Ginny stepped out into the bedroom and walked over the bed. There was a white satin robe laid out for her, and all of her toiletries. However, there were no other clothes. She pulled the robe on as quickly as possible, afraid that Mr. Malfoy might show up any minute. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever worn. The satin was soft and surprisingly warm. It flowed down over her body like water. It had a white, fur lined hood, and the bottom of the robe was edged with three inches of hand woven lace. She would have loved to wear this robe, anywhere but here.

She quickly attended to herself, cleaning her teeth and brushing her hair. Whatever happened tonight, she would at least be clean. After magically drying her auburn hair, she used the hair charms Hermione had taught her to braid it into a crown on top of her head, as she did every night. If there was one thing Ginny hated, it was sleeping with her hair on her face. She wasn't quite sure what to do with her things now that she was done with them, so she took them back into the bathroom and arranged them neatly on the sink.

Once back in the bedroom, she was unsure of what to do. Malfoy still was not up here. She couldn't very well go wandering about the Manor, and she was too agitated to try to take a nap. She couldn't bring herself to wait on the bed, so she opened the window shades and settled into the velvet cushions of the window seat, bringing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She leaned her head against the pane, gazing out longingly at the sky. Malfoy Manor was far from any other development, and so the few of the stars was remarkably clear. She closed her eyes and imagined that she was in the Burrow, waiting for Hermione to sneak into her room so they could talk long into the night. She shivered and hugged her knees closer.

And that was how she was when Lucius Malfoy, white blonde hair tied back at the nape of his neck, green robe flowing around him, found her when he entered the bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**Dear Readers,**

** I tried to write this chapter mainly from Ginny's perspective (although it does switch back and forth quite a bit), because I think it's important that you realize that this night is not the slightest bit romantic, sensual, or desirous for her. It's not even remotely comfortable. I'm not certain you've noticed, but Ginny can't even think of him as anything other than Mr. Malfoy right now. The thought of giving her innocence to him is horrendous. **

** It really, really frustrates me when marriage fictions are written between two characters that have absolutely no connection, and then they have a wonderful, steamy wedding night. That is, for the most part, not real life, and it is not how I wrote this chapter.**

** This chapter is not steamy, but it is very sexual and contains some minor violence, and not for anyone underage. Keep the reviews coming, people!**

** Littlekat1010**

Ginny's eyes flickered to the man in the doorway, but then turned back to the window. All thoughts of the Burrow and family were gone. She closed her eyes, waiting for the numbness to return, but it wouldn't come back. She was too terrified not to feel anything. She heard footsteps. She could feel that he was close to her now; she felt frozen in place.

"Ginevra" His voice sounded cold, unemotional. Her name sounded strange on his lips. She did not want him to talk to her like that. It was too familiar. His hand grasped her chin and firmly turned her head toward him. She averted her eyes.

"Look at me, Ginevra." His voice let no room for argument. She met his eyes; they were a blue gray, impassive. She could see nothing of compassion in them. They stared at each other for a long minute, and then he let her go, and she turned away, fighting to keep the tears out of her eyes. He sat down beside her on the window seat, his slender hands resting in his lap. When he spoke again, it was in the same cold tone.

"It we are caught in a situation well beyond either of our control. I'm sure you were about as pleased as I was on receiving that letter. Am I right?" Ginny didn't answer, so he continued. "I am sure you're are aware of Wizarding legalities of marriage consummation." Again, Ginny didn't seen the need to answer. They both knew what needed to happen.

"Stand up." The tone was commanding, and Ginny found herself complying out of fear.

*****

Lucius had never been as adept at legilimency as Severus, but he could read body language. The girl was terrified. Nevertheless, this was not something he wanted to prolong.

"Stand up." He wondered if she would respond to a direct command better than the questions he had been asking. She did, though he suspected it was out of fear of him more than anything. He was not surprised that she was afraid of him, though it was unfortunate. Despite her blood traitor backgrounds, she was a pretty little thing. He looked her over as she stood before him. She was trembling from head to toe.

*****

Ginny stood in place, not daring to move, wishing she knew what he was thinking.

"Are you a virgin?" The question was blunt and unexpected. She blushed, but didn't answer. His hand grasped her jaw again, and she found herself looking back into those cold eyes. "When I ask you a question, Ginevra, I expect you to answer me." She gazed up at him, trembling.

"Yes, sir." She whispered.

*****

Lucius cursed inwardly. This whole ordeal would have been easier if he wouldn't have had to worry about being gentle. He was a controlling man by nature, and that had always carried over into his bedroom habits. Narcissa had never minded; her naturally submissive demeanor had even responded sexually to being controlled and roughed.

The Weasley girl—Mrs. Malfoy now—was a different story. Kindness was not something Lucius often thought of, but self preservation was. He did not need this girl telling her overly protective mother that he had hurt her on their wedding night. In his current standings with the Ministry, a rape accusation would not bode well with him.

*****

Mr. Malfoy held out an arm a mockingly gentleman-like manner toward the bed. Ginny couldn't do it. She couldn't make herself go. There was a moment of silence, and then in one swift motion, he scooped her up and deposited her gracefully on the huge four poster. She panicked, scooting away from him, her eyes wide. He sat down on the edge, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her closer to him. Ginny stared, now unable to take her eyes off of him for fear of what he would do.

"Are you frightened of me, or of what I'm going to do? And don't lie to me to placate me."

She forced the words out in a whisper. "Both, sir."

"There is no need to call me 'sir', Ginevra. If you cannot use my given name, at least use my last name. Malfoy will work just fine until you stop trembling. Now, neither of us is looking forward to this, but as it is unavoidable, I believe we should get started."

His business-as-usual tone was too much for her, and as he reached for the ties on her robe, she moved away from him. "Don't." she said.

"What are you doing?" He asked, sounding as though he were reluctant to care, and holding out a hand for her to come back to his side.

Her fear seemed to turn into some insane sort of courage, and for the first time in days, she felt angry, fiery. "I won't let you touch me." The words came out in a confident voice, but she shrank back a little when she saw his cold eyes flicker with anger. She remembered her mother's words. _Don't fight him, dear…_ but she was too worked up to heed them.

"Ginevra," his voice was carefully controlled as he spoke. "this is not an option."

"I'm making an option." She hissed her anger swelling at his condescending tone.

"The other option is Azkaban."

"The law said nothing about sex." She spat out the last word as though it were filthy.

"The law said we have to be married. A wizard marriage is not legal until it is consummated. A charm is cast at the ceremony. They will know."

"I know all this." Ginny stood up and backed away from the bed, wondering if he would let her out the door.

"Then you know we don't have a choice." He had not raised his voice, but it had acquired a dangerous tone.

Ginny glared at him defiantly. "I choose prison, thanks." She started for the door, but she didn't get very far. Malfoy grabbed her forearm and pulled her back toward him.

"Don't touch me!"

"You're my wife." She didn't notice how angry he was, or she would have stopped.

"This has nothing to do with the law. You just want me in your bed."

The moment the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. Malfoy pushed her against the wall, his hand around her throat. "Don't ever speak to me like that again." He snarled, his eyes flashing angrily. "You may prefer Azkaban to me, but I've been there, and I'm not going back on account of a silly girl."

Ginny was trembling, her eyes fearful, but she was too stubborn to give up just yet. "I won't do it."

Malfoy let out a cold laugh. "You think that matters?"

Ginny shook her head. "You wouldn't—"

"If it comes down to it, Miss Weasley, I most certainly will. I would do a great deal to stay out of prison."

"You wouldn't do that." But her words came out in a sob.

"Would you care to try me, my dear?"

Ginny shook her head, knowing that she had already pushed the limits. He stared at her for one moment more, his furious gray eyes piercing her, then he let her go and pushed her toward the bed. "Lie down." His voice had not lost all of its snarl, and she didn't dare disobey.

He stood still for a moment, his back to her, breathing deeply. Then he pointed his wand at the door, shutting and locking it. "Silencio!" Ginny winced as the silencing charms went up. She averted her eyes as he walked toward the bed. The defiance was gone, and the paralyzing fear had returned. He sat back down on the edge.

"Look at me, Ginevra." His tone was cool and firm again; no trace of anger remained in his eyes.

Ginny raised her head and met his eyes. She was so cold. Malfoy looked at her oddly; he seemed to be thinking of what to say next. When he spoke, it was slowly and carefully.

"I don't want to scare you, I have no desire to hurt you, but this not something I will compromise on." He handed her a small vial from his robe pocket. "Drink this; it's a contraceptive." She downed the red potion in one gulp. It burned her throat. "I am going to speak bluntly with you, Ginevra, for two reasons. Firstly, because I rarely skirt around the issue, and secondly, because although you seem to be a child to me, you are not. You are an adult, and you need to hear the truth. Is that clear?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"This night will be far easier for me than for you. I would like to say that I am a great lover, but I am not, not in the way that a young girl wants on her wedding night, anyway. I tend to be rough, and controlling." Ginny could feel herself trembling as he spoke. "I will do my best tonight to be…gentle…but no matter who you are with, the first time is always painful for a woman. I'll do my best not to prolong it. Do you have any questions?" He didn't tell her that her first time was likely to be more painful than most, due to her lack of arousal. She shook her head again.

Malfoy shifted himself up on the bed so that he was resting on one elbow, leaning slightly over Ginny's face. "Look at me, Ginevra." She raised her eyes to his, forcing herself to meet his cold gaze.

*****

Lucius' eyes never left Ginevra's as he placed his free hand on her waist. She instantly tensed up at his touch. He paused until he felt the tension leave her body, then moved his hand up her side slowly, running it lightly across the bare skin of her neck. Her eyes were wide and filled with panic. He harbored no illusions that she would enjoy this or trust him at all, but he had hoped that she would be able to relax at least a little. He reached for the tie on her satin robe.

*****

With one swift pull, Malfoy had undone the knot that Ginny had carefully tied in her only current piece of clothing. As his hands went to open the robe, a single word escaped Ginny's lips in a whisper.

"Please." She had not meant to say that. She had never intended to beg.

His hand did not hesitate at her plea. In fact, he made no sign that he had even heard her. This was not the way this was supposed to happen. No man had ever seen her naked; Lucius Malfoy, the Death Eater, was not supposed to be the first one. His wasn't the face she wanted above her on her wedding night; the hands that slowly fondled her small breasts, and then made their way down to where she had never been touched belonged to the wrong man. Not just the wrong man, but the last man on earth she would have chosen to give her virginity to.

She felt the tears welling up in her eyes. No. She would not cry. She did not want to cry. But Ginny could not stop the tears from running silently down her cheeks. She had her eyes closed now, not able to watch as he touched her.

*****

Lucius spread the girl's legs with his knee, gently caressing her sex. He was hoping that Ginevra's young body would ignore her emotions, that he could at least get some natural lubricant before he entered her. He continued to touch her lightly, reaching for all the spots that he knew could make an aroused woman tremble with desire. There was nothing. He glanced up at her face and saw tears running down her cheeks. He scoffed inwardly, careful not to let the girl see his scorn. She was frightened enough as it was. Gryffindor bravery indeed—a Slytherin in this situation would never act like this. Slytherins had too much pride.

"Please."

It was the second time she had spoken the word, and he had ignored it the first. This time, however, he met her eyes and stopped his caresses, waiting for her to continue.

"Just—just do it."

*****

Ginny looked at the man leaning over her, her eyes pleading with him, her mind praying hard that he would listen to her. She couldn't handle any more of his caressing. It was too much of a mockery of intimacy. And intimacy was something she was quite sure she would never share with this man.

*****

Lucius looked down at the girl beneath him, stunned by her request. Of course, he would never have let her know that. It was understandable, of course. She wanted this over as quickly as possible. Perhaps he had underestimated her courage. It would not be difficult for him, of course. Just the sight of her fit little body was enough to make him rock hard. Slowly, he nodded, stood up, and disrobed.

*****

Ginny looked away as he undressed. She wanted to see as little as possible of his naked body. She felt his skin against hers and he carefully lowered himself onto her, resting the bulk of his weight on his forearms. His manhood rested was poised to enter her. She couldn't help it, she tensed, her eyes flew open, and she looked up at him, terrified.

"Relax." The command was breathed into her ear. "Close your eyes, and think of someone else."

Ginny obeyed, her mind searching for something or someone happy to rest upon. It landed, strangely enough, on Harry. She was long past over him, but he had been a small taste of romance in her relatively inexperienced past. Malfoy waited while she remembered her first kiss with Harry, the nights walking under the stars and talking for hours, the months of missing him when he was out saving the world, and even the day they broke up. That too was a good memory. There had been no fight, no tears, just a parting of hearts. But the late night talks had never stopped. She slowly relaxed as she focused on the memories, using all of her mental power to push away the events of the last week.

The moment Malfoy felt her relax he pushed into her with one swift, careful motion, breaking past her barrier. She was bone dry.

Ginny felt white hot pain shoot between her legs, and she cried out at the suddenness of it, all the tenseness returning.

*****

Lucius held still as she gasped in pain, her tiny body wracked with sobs. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his member as he gave her time to adjust. When her sobs quieted, and she lay still, he began to move. He was a man, and her body was enough to arouse him, but a sobbing woman was no turn on even to him. He too wanted this over quickly.

*****

Every time he thrust into her, Ginny thought she was going to be torn in half. It was more painful than she had thought it would be. She turned to her head to the side, sobbing in pain, and waited until he shuddered in climax and lay still. After a moment he withdrew from her and got out of bed. He summoned his wand to him with wandless magic and performed a cleaning charm over both of them, then the bed.

She wanted to flee the room, never look at him again. But she was afraid to try, so she just lay there, out of tears and aching.

"Ginevra." She didn't answer or open her eyes. "I'm clothed, you can look at me now." He stalked back to the bed and threw the blankets over her shivering body. "Look at me." She complied. "Normally I would allow you to leave, as I'm sure want to. However, I don't trust that you won't go to the guest room and do some harm to yourself."

Ginny felt her stomach drop in terror. "Please, Mr. Malfoy. Don't make me sleep with you." Malfoy smiled grimly.

"I would not presume that you would sleep at all tonight in my bed, Ginevra. We will sleep in the same room and separate beds." He muttered something under his breath and gave a flick of his wand. The king sized four poster bed slid silently to the other side of the room with Ginny still on it, and a matching bed seemed to pop out of it. "Duplication charm." Was his response to her widened eyes.

Malfoy walked over to one of the wardrobes and opened it. Ginny couldn't see what he was doing, but when he turned back around, he held two potions in his hands. He crossed to her.

"Take these. I'm afraid there is no potion to target the specific pain you are feeling, but the green one there should dull it at least. The other is a dreamless sleeping potion."

Ginny swallowed them without hesitation.

"Go to sleep. We will discuss things in the morning."

Ginny's mind didn't have time to worry about tomorrows discussion, or what would happen to her in the future. The dreamless sleep had already taken over.

*****

Lucius Malfoy sealed the doors so that the girl couldn't escape in the night, and then slipped between the satin sheets of his bed. He was far more exhausted than he should have been after such a short sexual encounter. He lay in the darkness, trying to shut out the quiet sobs coming from his new wife. His chest ached, every time he drew a breath. It was a familiar feeling these days. It happened every time he really missed Narcissa.


	8. Chapter 8

**Dear Readers,**

** I'm sorry about the slow update. To be completely honest, I was so emotionally exhausted after writing that last chapter, I didn't even want to think about these two. But I feel refreshed now, and while I'm not exactly sure where this is going, I feel like that's half the fun. Writing for a publisher, you have to have things prepared and outlined. This is refreshing.**

** One thing more: there are no pregnancies in this book. And yes, we will see more of Hermione's and Sirius's story very soon. **

** Review, review, review!!!! **

** Littlekat1010**

*********

When Ginny woke the next morning, light was streaming through the window where she had lifted the shade the night before. Her first thought was to look over at Malfoy's bed. She sighed with relief when she saw that it was empty. Her second thought, as she sat up, was the ache between her legs. That was when everything came flooding over her, and the dirty, shame-filled feelings returned. Luckily, she had cried herself dry the night before, so no tears accompanied the emotions.

Her stomach growled angrily. She was hungry, but she had no idea what she was supposed to do. She didn't know where anything was in this bloody massive house, and even if she did, she did not want to risk running into Malfoy. A loud crack surprised her, and she let out a small shriek.

"Did Lula scare Miss Ginny? Bad Lula! Bad Lula!" Ginny stared at the tiny elf, even smaller than Caplet, jumping about, yanking on her own ears as hard as she could. Then it registered with Ginny that the elf was punishing herself.

"No, Lula, stop it, stop it! You did scare me, but it wasn't on purpose."

The elf, dressed in a pale pink towel, stopped what she was doing, hands still grasping her ears, and looked up at Ginny. "Lula comes with a message from the Master. He says to be dressed and then to follow Lula down to the dining room for breakfast."

Ginny felt her stomach clench. He expected her to eat with him? He wanted her to face him after what had happened last night? Impossible. She wouldn't do it. She would tell this elf to tell her presumptuous master that she had no intention of eating with him.

"Miss Ginny should hurry." Lula shifted nervously from one foot to the other. "Master Malfoy does not like to be kept waiting."

A chill ran up Ginny's spine as she remembered the feeling of Malfoy's hands around her throat, pushing her up against the wall, the anger flashing in his eyes. Her resolve dissipated.

"Where are my clothes, Lula?" The little elf pointed at the wardrobe on the left, and it flew open, revealing all of Ginny's things neatly lined up. She selected traditional robes, because they were the most conservative thing she could think of. She wanted as little of her body as possible on display for _that man_. She used her wand to fix her hair out of her face, and followed Lula out the door.

The walk down to the dining room was a maze of hallways; Ginny had not remembered things being this complicated…but then, last night her mind had been elsewhere. When they finally arrived at the big double doors, Lula pushed them open, an astonishing feat for someone her size. Ginny took a deep breath and told herself that she was not afraid. Somehow, the blatant lie did not help.

The dining room surprised her. She had expected something grand and gilded; instead, Malfoy sat at a small table, big enough to seat four people, in the center of a modest sized room (though clearly it was expensively furnished.) He looked up from his paper as the door opened.

"Thank you Lula. You are dismissed." With a pop, the elf disappeared, leaving Ginny alone with the one person she didn't want to be anywhere near. Her mind unintentionally wandered back to the events of the night before, and she could feel her cheeks flush in humiliation.

"Sit down, Miss Weasley, and stop blushing." The cold voice from the table brought Ginny to her senses, and she did as she was told. Where was that numb feeling that she had come to hide behind? It had been replaced by something far less pleasant—fear. She sat at the other end of the table, her chair scraping noisily as she sat.

"That is not where your plate has been set, Miss Weasley."

Ginny realized with dread that a place had been set next to Malfoy for her, instead of at the other end of the table. Blushing more furiously, she moved to the other chair, cringing with each scrape of the wood on the flooring.

"How are you this morning?"

For a moment, Ginny just stared the man next to her, unsure how to respond. Was he serious? No, that would imply some concern on his part. He must be making fun of her. He was goading her about last night.

*****

Lucius watched as the girl considered his question, clearly trying to find some motivation behind it. If there was one good thing about this girl, it was that she was as transparent as spring water. He hated when he couldn't tell what someone was thinking.

"It wasn't a trick question, Ginevra."

She looked up at the use of her first name, then stuttered out an answer. "I'm—I'm well, sir."

Lucius surveyed her choice of clothing, and her still blushing cheeks and smirked. "You're also terrible at lying. Here"

He pulled the potion he had prepared for her and set it by her plate. "It's a potion for the pain—the same one you took last night. It should at least help the discomfort. When you bathe this morning, use the red bubbles. They will help you relax."

She kept her eyes on her plate. "Thank you, sir."

"For the last time, Ginevra, stop calling me that. I'm not your teacher. And there is no need to thank me. I don't want you sore next time I bed you."

The girl's head shot up, her eyes wide. They seemed to be searching his face for some sign that he was joking. Unfortunately, Lucius was completely serious. He sighed, reached into his robes, and produced an envelope that was already opened.

"This arrived for us this morning. I took the liberty of opening it without you." He handed it to her, and she read it wordlessly. Lucius continued eating, waiting for her outburst. It never came. When he glanced up, he saw that her face was ashen, and the letter had fallen to the floor.

"You flatter me, Miss Weasley. I had no idea you enjoyed last night so much." It was the wrong thing to say, as Lucius was well aware, but his propensity to turn to sarcasm in awkward situations was too habitual. There was a long silence as Lucius waited for the girl to speak. When she did not, he pushed back from the table and stood. His movement did not seem to register with her, so he snapped his fingers, and Lula appeared.

"Yes, Master Malfoy?"

Lucius kept his eyes on the girl as he spoke, watching for some sign that he was aware of her surroundings. "Lula, take Miss Weasley back upstairs to my bedroom. See that she takes this potion," he handed the house elf the pain potion. "And has a long bath. Have Caplet remake her breakfast—it's too cold to eat—and serve it in her room. When she has eaten every bite, and is dressed in clean, presentable clothing, escort her to my study."

The girl winced when he mentioned his study. Good.

"Is that all, Master?"

"Yes, Lula. That is all."

*****

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy_

_ We would like to congratulate you on your marriage. We were pleased to receive notice of the consummation. The Ministry is also required by law to inform you of several amendments made to the law by vote of the Wizengamot. _

_1__st__ Amendment: Marriages, once consummated, but be procreated on a biweekly basis._

_2__nd__ Amendment: Contraceptives are prohibited._

_3__rd__ Amendment: Once a child is conceived, the couple is required to carry the child to full term, and raise that child once born._

_These stipulations will remain in place for the first ten years of marriage. Penalties include wand confiscation and a prison sentence. _

_ Thank you for your time, and best wishes_

_ Department of Marriage, Ministry of Magic._

The moment Malfoy left the room, Ginny relaxed, picked the letter up off of the floor, and read it again. This was barbaric. She was barely 17 years old—she didn't want a child now. She wanted to have some time to live before _she _decided with what husband _she_ chose that they wanted a child. This was not fair, or right, or reasonable. And child aside, how could she do _that _again. Ginny could not imagine facing another night with him.

"Miss Ginny must follow Lula now."

Ginny soon learned that everything Harry had told her about house elves was true. There was no point in arguing with Lula, because she would never be persuaded to disobey a direct order from her master, whom she seemed to bother love and fear. So Ginny allowed herself to be undressed and guided into the bathtub floating with red bubbles. The warm water and magical soap did relax her and ease the discomfort she felt every time she shifted, and as she pushed thoughts of the letter aside, the numb, emotionless wave swept over her.

When she was allowed to get out of the bath and wrapped in a fluffy towel, she found an outfit laid out on her bed for her. It was more formal than she would wear for every day occasions, but she didn't bother arguing. Instead, she pulled on the pencil skirt with a ruffled bottom, which fell just above her knees, and tucked in the purple shirt that accompanied it. Then Lula helped her slip one of her nicer robes over it.

By the time she was dressed, her hair still wrapped in a towel, Caplet had set out a tray filled with food. Ginny ate quietly, not really tasting the outrageous amount of delicious food before her. She faintly registered Lula combing through her auburn hair with a magical brush, charmed to dry and shine hair as it brushed. By the time she was finished eating, Lula had braided it in a simple but elegant plait down her back, with a just a few perfectly placed tendrils framing her face. She did not really care what she looked like. All she could feel was the blessed numbness. That life saving numbness.

"Miss Ginny must follow me now." Ginny rose, and for the hundredth time that morning, did as she was told.

*****

While Ginny was eating her breakfast, Lucius was finishing up the morning news in his study. Rather, he was attempting to finish the news. He sighed in frustration, trying for the hundredth time to put the girl out of his head and focus on the obituaries in front of him. Usually he had no trouble focusing on this section of the paper—there was nearly always news of a fellow Death Eater who had passed away behind the cold walls of Azkaban. But today he had a feeling that if he saw his own name on the list, he would hardly notice.

Lucius was angry. He was angry, and humiliated, and worst of all, he was helpless. He was angry and humiliated because some idiot at the Ministry thought that he and Ginny Weasley were compatible. That they had presumed to match him with someone so soon after the death of Narcissa and Draco was unforgivable, but to match him with a Weasley—a blood traitor—that was even worse. He had never been in such a powerless position before. His money was not as enticing as it had been before the downfall of the Dark Lord. Taking bribes from a former Death Eater was a certain way to lose your job.

He was trapped. He had hoped that after the marriage was consummated, he and the girl would mutually ignore each other. He could go on living as he always had, and she could—well, she could do whatever normal, unmarried 17 year olds do. He really didn't care what she did, as long as it didn't affect or bother him. But now, with these amendments, that all seemed impossible.

Lucius was neither a pedophile nor a rapist, and last night he had felt like both. He had forced only two girls in his lifetime, both under direct command of the Dark Lord. Those memories were among the few things Lucius allowed himself to regret. Narcissa had never known, of course. He could not bring himself to risk what they had for the sake of honesty. Some things were best left alone. No, Lucius liked his women willing. He wanted them to _want_ him to be rough. He had never had trouble eliciting a positive response from a willing woman in his bed, until last night.

And then, of course, he had lost his temper. That hadn't been his fault really; she had baited him. In truth, Lucius hadn't known what else to do. He could not risk Azkaban for the sake of a blood traitor's virtue, but he hadn't wanted her to complain to her parent's that she had been ill treated their first night together either. Arthur Weasley held a disgustingly prominent position in the ministry these days, and even Lucius had to admit that in court, the testimony of an ex Death Eater would hold little sway against an innocent girl.

And so last night, he had done what needed to be done. He had scared her into compliance, and then had been relieved when it had worked. There had been a tinge of regret after the fact, not at what he had done, but that he would never be able to do it again. Ginevra Weasley, blood traitor though she was, had an exceptionally nice body. Now, it seemed he would be allowed, even compelled, to perform his husbandly duties after all.

Unfortunately, bedding the girl regularly came with all sorts of complications, which was the whole reason Lucius had been willing to put it aside in the first place. Sleeping together would require some amount of communication, and eventually, it would mean a child. A child they would have to raise together. The idea of the nervous, blushing girl at breakfast this morning ever becoming a Lady Malfoy the way Narcissa had been was ridiculous. She would shame him at any social event he brought her to.

He heard a quiet buzzing noise in one ear, a sign that the detection charm outside his door had been activated. He sighed and turned his huge desk chair toward the door.

"You may enter."


	9. Chapter 9

**Dear Readers,**

** I know, I know, this chapter is long overdue. I had some real life deadlines to meet, and this was low on my priority list (unfortunately). But here it is, and I hope it meets expectations. **

** Also,** **I've noticed that many of you have added this to your "favorites" list, but there are not very many reviews…let's change that, shall we? REVIEW, PLEASE!**

** This chapter is all from Lucius' perspective, and we finally hear our favorite potions master. **

** Next chapter will bring back the Hermione/Sirius dilemma, so patience, patience, patience! I promise a faster update this time.**

** Littlekat1010**

Lula entered the office, holding the girl's hand as though afraid she would run away. One look at Ginevra's pale face, and Lucius could see why.

"Leave us." Ever observant, Lucius noticed that the girl's hand tightened around the elf's hand in protest, but Lula wrenched her hand away and bowed out the door.

"Well, then Ginevra. It appears we have some things to discuss." Lucius hadn't thought it was possible, but the blood traitor's face paled even more. What did she think he was going to do, bend her over his desk and take her right then? His stomach tightened at the thought of all the times he had had Narcissa in that very position, only her face had been flushed with pleasure.

"I'm not going to touch you in here, girl. Sit down." She looked around the room for another chair. There wasn't one, and to his surprise, she sat down on the floor where she was. He had expected her to conjure one, but if she wasn't smart enough to manage that small magic, he wasn't about to help her. She could sit on the floor where she belonged: below him. Her hands were visibly trembling.

"So, dear wife," the phrase was dripping with sarcasm. "it appears we will be seeing more of each other than I had expected." She didn't answer, as he had expected, but he did not mind. It was easier this way. "Since you seem to have very little to say, I will talk, and you will listen." Lucius leaned back in his chair, relaxing into the plush leather as he surveyed the creature below him. "Now, as you are aware if you have any sense of intelligence, the Ministry, through the power of a charm placed on us at our wedding, can monitor our sexual activities." Heavens, did the girl really need to blush at the word "sexual"? "So in that matter we have little choice. However, the matter of a child is a different story. Your friend, the mudblood—ahem, _muggle born_ should be able to inform you as to muggle forms of contraceptives. I am not familiar with them, but I do know that they have them in medicinal form. You are to talk to her before the end of the week, understood?" The girl nodded, her eyes glued to the floor. Well, it was something.

"Good. Now that that little issue has been taken care of, we can move on. I placed a safety spell on you this morning while you were sleeping, so should you attempt to harm yourself in any way, I will immediately be notified. That being said, you may now sleep in your own bedroom, which Lula has prepared for you."

Lucius stood and walked to the window on the opposite wall of his desk, his back to the girl. "I'm not going to pretend that you are the mistress of this manor, Ginevra. You are a child, and as such, you will listen carefully to the rules I am about to lay down for you." He could hear the girl shift behind him. He suspected that if he turned around now, he would see the same indignation he had seen in her eyes last night. As he had no desire to lose his temper, he kept his back to her. He didn't care that she was offended. In this, at least, he would have his way.

"You may go anywhere in the manor except for my office, and the basement. That is where my labs are, and I will not tolerate you being anywhere near my work. Some of it is very delicate. The library is on the third floor. You may remove any book from it, as long as it is put back where it belongs. However, the top shelves are filled with, shall I say, less than pleasant books. I suggest you stay away from them

You will join me in my bedroom after dinner every Monday and Friday night. I'm a busy man, and this works with my schedule."

At this, Lucius turned around to look at the girl. She was still sitting, but her face was flushed bright red now. He could practically see her mind struggling between anger and fear. He decided to help fear out a bit. He crossed to where she sat and crouched down beside her, lifting her chin firmly with his hand so she was forced to meet his eyes. Then he spoke in that quiet, almost gentle voice that he knew could be intimidating. "Is there a problem, Ginevra?" After a moment's hesitation, she shook her head. "Good. I didn't think so." He released her and stood, once again turning his back on her.

"I am not a particularly violent man, Ginevra. I rarely lose my temper. However, I am also not used to being disobeyed." He left it at that, quite sure she recognized the threat behind his words. He stayed silent for a moment, letting it sink in, then turned around and gave her a pleasant smile. "Thank you for chatting with me, Ginevra. I'm afraid I've kept you too long. Why don't you go find Lula? She'll show you to your room."

He watched as the girl stood slowly and walked from the room. He smirked, knowing very well that it was only pride that prevented her from fleeing.

*****

Not an hour after the girl had left, a snarky voice spoke from his fire place. "Are you busy, Lucius?"

Lucius sighed and pushed his chair back from his desk, thankful for an excuse to take a break from his work. "Not too busy for you, Severus." Moments later, Severus Snape stepped out of the office fireplace, carefully dusting soot from his black robes. His eyes met Lucius' own, and he grinned.

"I hear I am to congratulate you on your newfound state of marital bliss, old friend, although I am a little offended I wasn't invited to the wedding."

Lucius glared at his old friend, not at all amused. "Bliss is not exactly how I would describe this situation, Severus, so you may keep your sarcastic well wishes to yourself. How did you manage to escape this insufferable law?"

Severus held out his arms in a self congratulatory manner. "I'm a war hero, old friend. I can do what I want."

Lucius scoffed. "Come now, Severus. Not even Harry Potter himself escaped the Ministry's madness. What gives?"

"The Potter boy didn't try, Lucius. He was paired with Luna Lovegood. Rumor has it that an engagement between them was forthcoming anyway." He flicked his wand at Lucius' window, closing the shades, catering to his hatred of the sun. "But you are right, as usual. I was not exempt—the Ministry has simply not found someone compatible with my sweet, loveable personality."

Lucius coughed loudly at this. Severus pretended he hadn't heard, and continued speaking.

"Not everyone has been paired yet, you know. I may yet receive one of those delightful letters as you did." He summoned a plush leather chair from the next room and settled into it, black robes billowing as he sat. His face sobered. "Now tell me honestly, Lucius. How are you?"

Lucius eyed Severus for a moment, unsure of how much information he wanted to divulge. They had been friends for decades, and Lucius trusted no one more, but this was a different matter. After a minute of contemplation, he decided that if he could not talk to Severus about this, he could not talk to anyone.

"It's too soon, Sev. It's too soon after Narcissa for me to marry someone of my own choosing, much less a child the Ministry forces on me. And she's a Weasley, Severus. They may as well have married me to a muggle."

Severus sat quietly, listening as his friend continued to vent.

"Last night, Severus—" But he couldn't seem to find the words to say what he wanted.

"It couldn't have been that bad, Lucius."

"She—I—I lost my temper with her."

Severus sat forward in his chair. He knew his friend well enough to know that it took a lot for Lucius Malfoy to lose his cool. And he knew that it was a bad situation to be on the receiving line of that anger. "You didn't hurt her, did you Lucius?"

Lucius shook his head, and turned to the fireplace, not wanting to see the anxiety in Severus's eyes. "She didn't want to consummate the marriage."

"Did you expect a seventeen year old girl, forced into a marriage, to want to consummate it?"

"No, but I didn't expect her to fight me, either."

"She _fought _you?"

Lucius nodded. There was stunned silence in the room as Severus digested this information. Then he spoke again.

"And that's when you lost your temper."

Lucius poked his wand into the fire, turning the flames a vivid shade of green. "She made me feel like a rapist, Severus. It brought back memories…I never wanted to feel that way again."

"Maybe it was what she needed."

That comment made Lucius laugh out loud, but it was cold and humorless. "You think she likes it rough? Right, Severus."

Severus shook his head patiently. "I am not suggesting that it turned her on, Lucius."

"Then what _are_ you suggesting, Severus?" There was a cold edge to Lucius' voice, but Severus didn't let it faze him.

"From what Hermione has told me—"

"You still spend time with that mudblood?"

"We will never agree on the importance of blood status, Lucius, but no matter what you believe, Hermione Granger is the most gifted witch in her generation. Now that she has matured, I find I rather enjoy her company. And she's been a great asset to my academic research."

Lucius dismissed all this with a wave of his hand. "Who you associate with is none of my concern, Severus. Finish your earlier thought."

"From what Hermione has told me, Ginevra Weasley consented to this marriage with very little fight. She, along with her family, has resigned herself to her fate."

"Get to the point, Severus."

"Perhaps you don't know Ginny Weasley as I do, Lucius. You didn't have her in class for seven years. You didn't have to deal with her attitude. Ginevra Weasley is a fighter. She does not simply _give in_ to anything she doesn't want to. The whole of the wizarding world was against her after she and Potter broke up, and she fought the press tooth and nail. I'm sure you'll remember that she survived more than one encounter with the Dark Lord, the most notable one in her first year."

Lucius did not miss Severus's pointed reference to the planted diary of Tom Riddle.

"But this, she cannot fight. Fighting it would only hurt her family and friends, who are equally powerless to help her. But giving to a marriage with a man she has hated and feared for years, a man she believes intentionally handed her over to the Dark Lord when she was only a child? That goes against her very nature. She had to fight something, someone."

Severus paused, then sighed heavily when Lucius didn't respond.

"She knew she would have to sleep with you, Lucius. Ginevra Weasley didn't fight you to prevent that; she fought you because it made her feel as though she had at least an ounce of control left in her life. She fought you because for her, that made last night the tiniest bit more bearable."


	10. Chapter 10

**Dear Readers,**

** Sorry this is so short, but it was just a good cut off point. I'm already working on the next one, so the next update should be sooner. I'm crazy busy though, so no promises.**

** PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!**

** Littlekat_1010**

Ginny Weasley waited until she heard the door close behind her before allowing her feet to do what they wanted—flee as quickly as she could out of doors. She had no real clue as to where she was going. Lucius had not given her a tour of the house, much less the grounds, but Ginny found that it didn't matter. She did not need a specific destination; she just needed to put as much space as possible between herself and that man.

There had been very few times in her life when Ginny had been truly terrified. Growing up with five older brothers had left her with two choices: keep up, or be afraid and get left behind to help mom cook. She could hardly count the number of broken bones, cuts, scrapes, and other minor injuries that had resulted in a trip to the healers and a stern lecture from her mother. Molly Weasley had always tried to convince Ginny not to let her brothers coerce her into doing foolish things that could be dangerous, but Ginny had never need coercion. Half the time, the ideas were hers.

In fact, looking back, Ginny could count the number of times she had experienced true fear. The first was at the age of 5, when she had almost drowned in the ocean currents on a family vacation to the seaside. The next was the still-terrifying experience with Tom Riddle's diary and the Chamber of Secrets. The event in the ministry during her fourth year at Hogwarts had been less than pleasant. And then, of course, there had been the final battle, where she had been tossed back and forth between huge rushes of courage-inspiring adrenaline, and fear so incapacitating she had been sure she would die. And then last night.

The truth was, Lucius Malfoy terrified Ginny. Perhaps it was his suspicious connection with the Chamber of Secrets incident, or maybe the fact that he was a former Death Eater. It was possibly the idea that she would spend the rest of her life bound to him in marriage, or the thought of sharing his bed twice a week. Perhaps it was a combination of all of these.

Ginny had been walking at a fast pace, determined to put distance between herself and the Manor, but she slowed down now to catch her breath and take in her surroundings. The grounds of Malfoy Manor were vast and incredibly beautiful, but their beauty was lost on Ginny. Her fear and desperation turned to anger as she gazed at the twenty foot high wall that completely surrounded the grounds. She was angry at herself for being afraid; she was angry at the Ministry for forcing this on her; she was angry at the wall for preventing her from leaving.

Her usually grounded sense of reason left her, and Ginny began to run as fast as she could. She began to follow the wall around the grounds at breakneck speed, stumbling some on the ground below her. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe. She had to run. She had to find the gate. There had to be a way out of her. She felt like she had been running forever; her lungs burned with ever breath that she took. A low tree branch caught in her hair, but she didn't notice the pain as she tore it out. She had to get out. Suddenly, her foot caught on a tree root, and the last thing she remembered was the sensation of falling, before everything went black.

*****

Lucius snorted at Severus' words. "You're excusing her behavior?"

Severus gave a deep sigh, his voice remained calm. "What is there to excuse, Lucius?"

Lucius whirled on his friend, his eyes flashing. "She is my _wife_, Severus. I did not force this on her. We are _both_ victims here!" There was silence for a moment, and Severus could see the subtle change in Lucius' eyes, the pain seeping through the anger. Then the silver haired man spoke again, his voice lower. "Do you remember their faces, Severus?"

Snape didn't answer. Lucius continued.

"I do. I remember every face of every girl that—" His voice broke off, and his chest heaved as he took a deep breath to steady himself. "I remember those that screamed, and remember those that quietly told me that they would prefer death. I remember the early days, how I reveled in the power it gave me. And remember the last year, the guilt that came with each incident. And I remember exactly how many."

Severus remained quiet, sensing the older man's need to talk. "Narcissa never knew. She never took the Mark, you know. She was never there when he ordered us to—do that, for his entertainment. She always knew that something had gone wrong, but I never had the courage to tell her what." His eyes had glazed over, a painful expression on his face. "I tried to tell myself that I had no choice. He would have killed me. But I know what complete shit that is. I will never be a kind man, Severus. I have no expectations of redeeming myself for my actions. I am damned. But I never wanted to feel that way again, and that slip of a girl brought it all back." The anger was back in his voice.

Severus waited to be sure that Lucius had finished. "I remember, Lucius. But she doesn't. In her mind, you enjoyed last night. You enjoyed her pain and her humiliation. She was not prepared to be a wife, and her young mind certainly cannot fathom that you may be experiencing the same pain she is. Give her time. You're a different man now; give _yourself_ time."

Lucius Malfoy shook his head at his friend. "You're a far better man than I, Severus. You did what you did for a good cause. I did what I did because I was too tempted by the power, and then I was too afraid to give it up. I haven't really changed much at all. I'm not—" He cut off suddenly, his face darkening as he felt the pull of the safety charm he had cast on the girl.

Severus noticed. "Something wrong?"

Lucius nodded, his face grim. "She's hurt."


	11. Chapter 11

**Dear Readers,**

** I know, I know. I suck at updating. And this chapter is also rather short, so I apologize. I hope you enjoy what there is, and please, REVIEW! **

** Littlekat1010**

Severus sat up in his chair. "How do you know?"

Lucius grimaced as he strode quickly toward the door. "I had to spell her so I would know if she attempted to harm herself." He eyed his friend. "I hate to ask this of you, Severus, but—"

"Say no more, Lucius. I'll come with you."

The two men hurried outside, Lucius following the pull of the spell he had cast on the girl. He found her lying on the ground beside the wall, her face and hands scratched, her hair caked with blood. Without ceremony, he scooped her into his arms and carried her back to the manor.

LGLGLGLGLGL

When Ginny awoke, she found herself lying on the bed in what she assumed was her new bedroom. Her head ached terrible, and she blinked her eyes to try to bring the spinning room into focus.

"Mrs. Malfoy, how are you feeling?"

Ginny let out a little cry in her surprise to see Professor Snape leaning over her bed, an unfamiliar look of concern on his face. "Pr-professor? What are you doing here?"

"I _was_ having a friendly cup of tea with a friend, but now I'm playing nurse to his wife. So would you please answer my question?"

In spite of herself, Ginny had to hold back a smile at the familiar sarcasm. "I-I have a headache."

Snape nodded and handed her a small green vial. "I thought you might. You have had a minor concussion. I was able to clean and completely heal the cut on your head, but your headache will probably last all day. That will help with the pain."

Ginny nodded. "Thank you." she said, before remembering why she was here in the first place. "Was he angry?" The question slipped past her lips, and suddenly she was embarrassed for asking. She had no desire for Snape to know the sordid details of her nightmarish marriage.

To her surprise, he turned to her from what he was doing and met her eyes, giving her his full attention. "He was not happy, Mrs. Malfoy, that is certain." He saw the fear spark in her eyes, and took pity on her. He pulled a chair close to her bedside and sat down, folding his hands pensively.

"Ginevra, I have known Lucius for many, many years. He has been closer than a brother to me for a long time. May I offer you some advice?"

Ginny nodded, her face flaming with embarrassment that her least favorite professor knew the state of her marriage.

"I do not know the details of what happened last night," Severus lied smoothly. "But Lucius rarely loses his temper, Ginevra. Whatever happened, be sure it does not happen again."

He held her green eyes with his own piercing black ones, then nodded curtly to her before exiting the room, cloak billowing familiarly behind him.

LGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius looked up from his desk as Severus opened the door.

"Well?"

Severus eyed his friend for a moment, then sighed deeply. "She'll be fine, Lucius. It was only a minor concussion. I've given her medicine for the pain, and healed the cuts and bruises."

Lucius nodded curtly. "Thank you, Severus. I'm sorry for the trouble she caused. I'll deal with her."

Snape shook his head hopelessly. "You are the smartest man I know, Lucius, but for all your intelligence you have no comprehension of human communication."

Lucius raised one eyebrow in amusement. "The smartest? You flatter me, Severus. What about your man Dumbledore?"

"Dumbledore isn't smart. He's an anomaly. And you've missed my point completely."

Lucius raised one eyebrow in amusement. "Would you care to fill me in on what I've missed?"

Severus eyed his friend for a moment before shaking his head. "This one you have to figure out on your own." He clasped his still-amused companion on the shoulder before he stepped into the fireplace, and disappeared with a shout and a cloud of green smoke.

Ginny hugged her covers around her a little tighter as the door to the bedroom opened and Lucius entered, closing the door firmly behind him. Severus had said he was "not happy" with her for getting hurt, but looking at him now, she suspected that was a gross understatement. She could detect a hint of the same anger she'd seen last night in his eyes. He strode toward the bed, standing over her in a most menacing manner.

"This will never happen again. Is that understood?"

The ridiculousness of this statement temporarily overcame Ginny's fear, and she felt the familiar defensive feeling well up inside her. "I hardly hurt myself on purpose!"

Malfoy eyed her coldly for a moment. "You are lying."

"I'm not! I only fell! If I wanted to hurt myself, don't you think I'd do a better job?"

"Well if you're not lying, then you are stupid and clumsy." He sneered. "I'm so fortunate to be blessed with such a wife."

To her dismay, Ginny felt hot tears well up in her eyes. "You bastard." She choked out the insult as defiantly as she could.

Lucius stared at her for a moment, and then leaned down, placing a hand on either side of her body. "You may well want to listen to what I am about to say, Ginevra." His voice was cool and calm, but she could detect a hint of anger beneath his composure. "You may think your situation could not possibly be any worse, but trust me, you're wrong."

"Are you threatening me?" The question had no tone of defiance; she could manage nothing more than a scared whisper.

"No, Ginevra. I am _promising_ you that there are consequences for those who disrespect me. You are my wife, and more than that, you are little more than a child. Let me remind you that I am in control of your finances, and according to wizarding law, your very person." He straightened and smirked. "If you value those things, you will not cross the line again."

With a contemptuous smirk, he strode from the room, leaving Ginny in deeper despair about the life before her.


	12. Chapter 12

**Dear Readers,**

** It's been about ten years since I updated last, but better late than never…right? Anyway, I hope this chapter is interesting enough to overcome any hard feelings you may have harbored these last few months. Enjoy!**

** Littlekat1010**

Ginny woke the next morning, her headache back full force. She sat up with a groan, reaching for one of the small bottles of pain reliever Snape had left for her. The potion reduced the pain to a dull ache that lingered annoyingly in the back of her mind. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and made her way to the bathroom. It was not until she was in the shower that she realized that Lucius was not there. She gritted her teeth at the thought of his tirade yesterday in the bedroom. Who did that man think he was, to look down on her, threaten her, and accuse her of hurting herself on purpose?

Not that the thought had not crossed her mind; but Ginny Weasley was made of stronger stuff than that. If she could survive the war without falling into despair, she could survive Lucius Malfoy. But even as she considered these brave notions, her subconscious contradicted her. During the war there had been hope. She had been with family and friends, fighting for something that she truly believed in, something worth dying for. And they had had Harry, The Boy Who Lived, to give them courage. They had a prophecy, and the guidance of many older, experienced wizards and witches. They had been so young, so determined, and so fearless.

But here, in this luxurious but lonely mansion, Ginny had none of that. Here she was alone, with no friends or family, no great cause to fight for. Here everything was unfamiliar territory, and there was no Order of the Phoenix to guide her. Even the legendary Harry Potter could not end this marriage. And perhaps that was the most hopeless part of the whole situation. Marriage in the wizarding world is forever, except for a very few, extreme cases. Seeing as the ministry had arranged this one, there was no hope that they would then sign an annulment.

Ginny stripped off her clothes and stepped into the steaming hot shower, letting the water run over her face and hair. There was no room in this life for thoughts like that. This was her life. This would remain her life. Furthermore, it would remain _his _life. Lucius Malfoy would simply have to adjust.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius was rather surprised when the house elf announced that his child bride was on her way down to breakfast. After last night's little discussion, he had expected her to avoid him as much as possible. In fact, he had hoped for it. He put down his newspaper in annoyance and nodded curtly to the elf, which opened the dining room door.

The girl strode in with what he could only presume was her idea of confidence, although to Lucius, she looked like a snotty school girl. Her head was held high, her stride long. She was dressed in muggle clothing, which did not bother Lucius in and of itself. There was plenty of muggle clothing that was perfectly acceptable for a Malfoy to wear. A denim mini skirt with ripped leggings , a tank top, and an oversized cardigan sweater, however, was not suitable for any wizard or witch, much less one of Malfoy standing. Lucius cringed inwardly at the thought of what Narcissa would say if she saw someone in her house attired in such a way.

"Before you sit at my table, you will go change into something more suitable." He spoke quietly, but his tone left no room for argument.

Apparently the girl didn't catch that part.

"My clothes are just fine." She jutted her chin out defiantly, and continued to the table.

"They are suitable for muggles and mudbloods. You will go change."

"I will not. I am not trying to impress anyone; I'm trying to eat breakfast. These are fine." She pulled her chair out from the table.

Lucius put his fork down and looked coolly at the girl. "Do not sit down at this table in those clothes, Ginevra, unless you wish to suffer consequences."

"What are you going to do? Ground me? You can't do anything to me." She stared back at him defiantly, and for a moment, Lucius felt as though he were talking to Draco. He spoke slowly and softly, choosing words he knew would intimidate the girl.

"According to the law, Ginevra, I may do whatever I wish with you. I may be out of favor with the Ministry at the moment, but the law does not change because of that. According to wizarding law, as the wealthy, male caretaker in this relationship, I have almost total power over your person. So yes, I can do "anything" to you, as you so eloquently put it, and no one can legally stop me. So once again, unless you wish to make me very, very unhappy, you will excuse yourself to your room and change your apparel."

Without a word, Ginevra Malfoy sat down, unfolded her napkin, and placed it most politely in her lap.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Sirius Black looked up at his best friend hopelessly. "What am I going to do, Remus?"

"Calm down Sirius. The way you're talking, one would think you'd never faced a hoard of death eaters in battle."

"This is a hell of a lot worse than death eaters." Sirius mumbled under his breath. Remus chose to ignore him.

"It's not all bad, Padfoot. Look on the bright side."

Sirius glared at the werewolf sitting next to him. "The bright side? What bright side? Do you know something I do not? Please, enlighten me."

"Sirius, you are acting like a child. Hermione is an intelligent, mature woman."

Black scoffed. "Woman? Remus she's still a child! I'm old enough to be her father! She's a bushy haired, overly inquisitive girl!"

"Sirius, she's 18 years old, and she'd seen and done more by the age of 14 than most adults have in their 40's. And in case you hadn't noticed, she's become quite a beautiful woman. It's time to move on from your image of her as a bushy-haired little girl. Merlin's beard, man, she's about to become your wife!"

Sirius shook his head dejectedly. "We can't communicate, Remus. We've always had a perfectly civil relationship before. I was—I was like an irresponsible uncle to her. And now she's so quiet whenever we are in the same room. She won't look me in the eye. I don't know what to do." He looked up at his friend. What he wouldn't give at this moment to be more like Remus. If he were only a bit gentler, a better communicator, more understanding, then maybe this could work. As it was, he could only hope that Remus could offer him something that would help.

Remus ran his hand absentmindedly through his hair and gave a heavy sigh. "Of course she's become shy around you. She's probably terrified of you."

Sirius scoffed. "That's ridiculous, Remus. She's known me for years! What is there to be scared of?"

Remus shook his head at his insensitive friend. "Put yourself in her place, Sirius! She's an 18 year old girl who has, as far as I know, never been in a serious relationship! Her childhood was spent fighting the greatest dark wizard of our time; she's only just begun to find out what it is like to be a normal girl. And now she is being forced into a marriage with a man twice her age, whose reputation is less than stellar."

"Just what does that mean?" growled Sirius

"It means," Remus said gently "that you have a temper. She's never seen the soft, gentle side of you that I know is there. And that is the side you need to show her."

"And just when, between now and our wedding two days from now, do you recommend I show her this side of me? She won't even look at me. And I won't see her much until the wedding. Molly has her busy with wedding plans every moment, probably to keep her from committing suicide."

Remus tactfully ignored the last comment. He patted his best friend on the back and said "Well then, I'd say the wedding night is a good place to start." He grinned. "She won't be able to escape you then."

Sirius groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "Not funny, Remus!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Dear Readers,**

** A timely update! Who would have ever thought? Thank you all for your lovely reviews…although I do wish there were more of them! They really do brighten up my day, and I like some of the ideas I get from you. Special thanks to PutMeDown, whose lengthy review and follow-up messages have helped me decide in which direction to take this story. **

**Keep reading and reviewing!**

**Littlekat1010**

Ginny tried her best to maintain her cool exterior, but she could feel Lucius glaring at her as she occupied herself with arranging the napkin in her lap. She felt, rather than heard, him push back from the table. For a long moment, the room was very, very quiet. Ginny waited breathlessly for what he would do, and when it seemed he would do nothing, she dared to look up at him. She instantly wished she hadn't.

Lucius stood leaning over his place at the table, his hands resting on either side of his place setting. Ginny felt as though his eyes were drilling into her, reading her every thought. Did his grey eyes actually darken when he was angry? The strange question flitted across the irrational part of Ginny's mind as her own blue eyes fought to hold his. Every part of her wanted to shrink back, her eyes wanted to instinctively widen in fear.

"Ginevra, you will stand up this instant and go change your attire."

Ginny intended to stand. She meant to give in to him, to meet this simple demand from this irrationally prejudice man. But somehow, whether from fear, or a subconscious desire to win this battle, she remained seated. Lucius straightened slowly, picked up his napkin, and dabbed at the corners of his mouth. His cool grey eyes never left Ginny's face. He crossed to her chair and without another word, unceremoniously grasped her upper arm and pulled her to her feet.

"Let me go! You can't push me around like this! Stop!" Ginny tried unsuccessfully to wriggle out of his iron grip as he began to steer her out of the dining room and down the hall. Lucius ignored her protests, never breaking his stride when she ground her heels into the floor to try to stop. About halfway down the hall, Ginny tried a new defense mechanism. She simply let her body go limp, so that Lucius had to drag her dead weight on the floor. It scarcely fazed him. Without a word, he stooped down and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

By the time they reached their destination—Lucius's bedroom—Ginny was red-faced with anger and embarrassment at being treated like a child. Lucius deposited her unceremoniously onto the bed, then stalked to the wardrobe and opened it to reveal his clothing. He gave a casual flick of his wand and muttered something under his breath. His clothing disappeared, and was replaced with Ginny's own. He began to calmly flip through the hangers of clothing, periodically removing things and dropping them into a pile on the floor. Ginny watched him, puzzled and intimidated by his actions. When he had sorted through every item of clothing that she owned, he turned to face her again.

"That," he said, referencing the pile of clothes on the floor, "is everything in your wardrobe that is unsuitable for a Malfoy to wear. Everything, that is, except what you are wearing right now."

He paused, his eyes piercing Ginny. It took her a moment to realize what he wanted her to do. Her eyes widened with realization, and she shook her head. "No!"

Lucius approached the bed where Ginny still sat, and she shrank away from him. He was angry, and she knew it. This anger was different, though. This was a calculated anger. Everything he did, everything he said had a purpose. He was in complete control of himself. This kind of anger was…cold. Somehow, this Lucius scared Ginny more than the man who had lost his temper at her on their wedding night.

His hand grasped her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Very well, then. If you will not do it, then I will do it for you. Stand up, Ginevra."

As Ginny stood, she began to protest. "Please, Mr. Malfoy, I'm sorry. I'll take them off, please!" He ignored her as he pulled her cardigan sweater off of her arms. His hand did not fumble with the button on her jean skirt, and soon she was standing only in her tank and ripped leggings.

"Arms up." She felt tears roll down her cheeks at the command, and she shakily obeyed. Lucius pulled her shirt over her head, and she closed her eyes in horror at standing before that man in her bra. She felt a tug on her leggings, and sent up a silent prayer of thanks that she had word conservative undergarments that day. She wrapped her arms around her midriff, hugging herself and shivering, although the room was plenty warm. She watched through teary eyes as he added her offending clothes to the pile, and with a flick of his wand, set the whole pile aflame. The flames licked through the material, devouring it completely, and in only a minute or two, the flames and the clothing were gone. The floor was unharmed, and no trace of ash or smoke remained in the room. Ginny felt a piercing loss, as though another piece of her childhood had been taken away with the flames. She let out a sob, and felt her knees go weak.

Strong arms lifted her to the bed and propped her up against the pillows. "Ginevra, look at me. Ginevra!"

His voice snapped her out of her daze, and she lifted her teary eyes to his cold ones. "Ginevra, get a hold of yourself. I undressed you; I did not rape you." He waited until her breathing evened out, and let her wipe the tears out of her eyes. "Now," he went on, "you will select something from the remaining items in your wardrobe. You will put them on, you will wash your face, and you will present yourself for breakfast again. And if you _ever_ act in such a childish manner again, I will haul you back up here, and take you over my knee. Is that clear?"

Ginny nodded, certain now that he meant what he said.

Lucius seemed satisfied. "Good. Now go get dressed. And Ginevra, if I were you, I would get used to the idea of being undressed by me."

He smirked in satisfaction as the girl paled slightly. Without another word, he strode out the door.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny waited until the door closed behind him before she shakily stood and went over to her remaining clothes. Lucius had left her with almost nothing. There was the dress she had worn to the Yule Ball, and another, more casual dress that she had bought because Harry had told her that she looked amazing in it. She had yet to find somewhere to wear it. There was the pencil skirt and purple blouse she had worn the day before, already washed and pressed, and her two best sets of robes. Lucius had thrown out anything that looked second hand.

Choking back a sob, Ginny reached for the unworn dress and pulled it over her head. It was a deep blue, exactly the color that brought out her eyes and complimented her skin tone. It had a high, simple neckline, and stopped just above her knee. A thick white belt with gold accents accentuated her tiny waist.

Ginny slipped on her white ballet flats with the gold bows on the toe, and padded quietly into the bathroom. Her naturally clear complexion allowed her to be rather low maintenance when it came to makeup, and this morning she had only applied eye makeup. The magical makeup that had been a gift from Hermione had stayed perfect through the crying, but her face was red and tear-streaked. She splashed cold water onto her face to soothe her heated skin, and patted it dry with a towel. The temptation to linger in the bathroom and avoid returning to breakfast was strong, but Ginny knew that Lucius would not be tolerant of procrastination, and she did not want to push him any further.

As she gazed at herself in the full length mirror, the though crossed her mind that she was beautiful. She looked mature, elegant, stunning. Strangely enough, the thought brought her no pleasure.

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	14. Chapter 14

**Dear Readers,**

** A long overdue chapter for those of you who are crazy enough to still be reading this story after all the delays. Thank you for the constant reviews, PM's, and support. They keep the story at the forefront of my mind. It may take a while for me to update, but I promise never to abandon. :D So here's a little Christmas gift for all of you. I hope you have a lovely holiday. Happy birthday to me today!**

**Littlekat1010**

Lucius nodded his approval as Ginny entered the dining room once more. The girl would never be Narcissa, but at least she looked presentable. Her face looked flushed, but he pretended not to notice. He picked up an envelope from the table and handed it to her.

"This arrived for you with the morning mail."

The girl looked up in surprise, but didn't take the envelope.

"Are you going to take it, or stare at it" He sighed when the mild sarcasm induced a new flush of embarrassment on the girl's face, but she did take the parchment and rip it open.

"It's from Hermione." She spoke quietly, but her voice was steady. It was some improvement, at least. Her eyes scanned the letter. "She's asked me to come to the Burrow today to help her get ready for the wedding."

Lucius raised his eyebrows. "The mudblood is getting married?"

He saw Ginevra's face flush, but she didn't protest his use of the word. "She's been paired with Sirius."

Lucius smirked. The mutt and the mudblood; how appropriate.

"Can I go?" His bride's voice sounded small and hesitant.

Lucius considered her for a moment. "I'm not certain that a mudblood and a former outlaw are appropriate company for the wife of a Malfoy."

"Why not? I married a deatheater."

Lucius glared at the girl across the table. She caught the anger in his eyes and sunk down a little in her chair.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean-"

"You _will_ learn to hold your tongue, Ginevra. Perhaps you need a little reminder?"

She shook her head silently, her eyes on her lap.

"Very well then." He took a long sip of his tea. "You may go to the Burrow today, but you should return before 11 tonight."

He didn't miss the smile that flitted across her face before she returned to her guarded expression. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius pushed his chair back from the table, wiped his mouth with his napkin, and stood to leave. "I'll be in my office should you need anything. I'll open the guards on the floo in the library to allow you through.. Do not be late tonight."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Hermione ran to hug Ginny so fast that she nearly knocked both of them over.

"Ginny! Oh thank Merlin you're here!" The two girls embraced for a long moment, and when they pulled apart, both of them had tears in their eyes.

"Are you ok?" Hermione's eyes searched her best friend's face.

Ginny took a deep breath and gave Hermione a shaky smile. "I am now that I'm out of that house."

"Talk to me, Gin. What happened?"

But Ginny shook her head and put her hands on Hermione's shoulders. "Not now, Mione. I promise to talk about it. But today is about you. How are you? Nervous?"

Hermione was tempted to push the issue, but the look on Ginny's face told her to let it go. She looked around anxiously, and grabbed Ginny's hand. "Come on, let's go talk in my room."

Hermione led the way upstairs, and shut the door tightly behind them. She took out her wand and cast several eavesdropping wards at the door. Then she sat on the bed across from Ginny.

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "What was that all about?"

Hermione looked a little ashamed. "I don't want anyone to hear us talking. I'm just—I haven't really talked to anyone about any of this since you left."

Ginny nodded knowingly. "You mean you don't want Sirius to hear us talking."

Hermione dropped her head into her hands. "Ginny, what the hell am I going to do? I can't even talk to the man honestly about anything. How am I supposed to marry him?"

Ginny felt a stab of sympathy for her best friend. Comparably, Hermione was a lucky girl to be paired with Sirius, instead of Lucius. But that didn't make Hermione's situation any easier to deal with.

"Tell me everything, Hermione. Have the two of you talked?"

Hermione shrugged. "Yes, and no. I mean, we talked about the ceremony. He basically told me that he was ok with anything I wanted. I said that I wanted pretty much the same thing you had. And he said that he had sent house elves to take care of Grimmauld Place so that we can move in there. But we haven't _talked_, you know?"

Ginny nodded. "What is it that you want to talk about?"

Hermione shook her head dejectedly. "I'm not exactly sure. I guess I want to know what he expects of me. And I feel like we should talk about, you know..._that. _

"Sex?" Ginny said.

Hermione blushed and nodded. "I'm so terrified, Ginny. I've never done much of anything." She took a deep breath. "At least it's just once, right? Just the wedding night. I can get through one time."

Ginny felt her stomach drop as she realized that Hermione didn't know of the amendment to the law yet. She had a sneaking suspicion that the ministry was not informing couples until after they were married, to avoid any public protestations. She didn't say anything, though. "Yes, you can. It's not so bad, really." she lied. "Hermione, Sirius is a good man. He won't hurt you."

Hermione shook her head. "But I don't have any experience, and from the rumors, he has plenty. I'm scared I won't know what to do. I've been reading some books but..." Her voice broke off into a sob. "I have to sleep with him tonight. _Tonight. _How do I get ready in time for that?"

If the situation hadn't been so serious, Ginny would have been tempted to laugh. Of course Hermione had been reading books on the subject. When in doubt, it was to the library for Hermione.

Ginny hugged her best friend close, because there was nothing she could think of to say.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Sirius and Lupin were sitting in companionable silence in the sitting room when there was a small cough from the doorway. They looked up from their respective books to see Ginny Weasley standing in the doorway.

"Ginny!" Sirius exclaimed. "It's good to see you!" Both men rose from their chairs and crossed the room to embrace her. Before either of them could inquire after her current emotional state, she spoke.

"Sirius, could I talk to you alone for a few minutes?"

Sirius looked surprised, but Lupin just smiled at her, took his book and his drink, and left them alone, shutting the door to give them some privacy. Ginny followed Hermione's expample and warded the room so that they were completely alone.

Sirius looked worried. "Ginny? Is everything ok? Where is Hermione?"

Ginny smiled reassuringly, but the older man could see how serious she was. "Hermione's fine. She's getting dressed for the ceremony. But we need to talk."

Sirius sank back into his chair and ran his hand through his dark hair. "What is this about, Ginny?"

Ginny sat down opposite him and blushed a little. "It's about tonight."

"Tonight?" Sirius looked genuinely confused.

"Your wedding night." Ginny said bluntly.

Sirius was taken aback. "Ginny, this is hardly appropriate-"

"Maybe it's not appropriate." Ginny cut him off. "But it's necessary. You need to hear me out."

Sirius considered Ginny for a moment, and seemed to sense that she was in earnest. "Very well. Talk."

"Sirius, Hermione is scared to death about tonight."

Sirius nodded. "I know. She won't even look at me in the face."

"She'd kill me if she knew I was telling you this, but she's a virgin. She' scared you'll be upset with her lack of experience."

Sirius looked offended. "I would never-"

"I know you wouldn't. But I know you better than she does. And she's not thinking clearly."

There was a long moment of silence. When Sirius spoke, his voice was tense, strained. "What do you want me to do? You know I would never hurt her. I can't change the circumstances we've been forced into."

Ginny reached out and took Sirius's callused hand in her own pale, smooth one. "You would never hurt her on purpose. You have no idea-" her voice caught in her throat. "You have no idea what kind of power you have in this situation."

Sirius sat up and met Ginny's eyes with an intense gaze. "He hurt you, didn't he. What did he do to you, Ginny?"

Ginny shook her head and held up her hand for him to stop. "He wasn't cruel, Sirius."

"Was he kind to you?"

Ginny gave him a tight smile. "Was Lucius Malfoy kind to me? We did our duty."

Sirius' face was twisted in anguish. "I'm so sorry, Gin. I swear I will do my best to get Hermione through this in one piece."

"Sirius..." Ginny paused, uncertain of how to tell him what she knew she needed to. "Sirius, the morning after Malfoy and I were married, we received a letter from the ministry. It informed us of an amendment to the marriage law."

Sirius leaned forward. "What amendment?"

"It requires—it requires newly wed couples to be intimate twice a week until they conceive."

She had expected some sort of outrage from the short tempered man next to her, but Sirius' face only became more somber. Ginny continued.

"I know that Hermione is already on a form of muggle birth control, because her cycle was so irregular and painful. The ministry's spells won't recognize it. But they _will_ know how often you two are—you know."

Sirius had dropped his face back into his hands during Ginny's quiet explanation, and for several long moments, Ginny just let him register everything.

"Hermione doesn't know yet, Sirius."

"Why didn't you tell her?" he spoke in barely a whisper, his face still hidden.

"She's terrified as it is, Sirius."

"And why are you telling me?" From behind his curtain of black hair, Ginny thought he sounded close to tears.

She took a deep breath. She needed this to come out right.

"My wedding night was-" she didn't want to sound pathetic, or worry Sirius too much. "It wasn't what it should have been. It was cold, and harsh, and detached. And every moment I'm near Malfoy, I am thinking that it has to happen again. I am dreading it with my entire being. But you are not Lucius Malfoy. You are a good, kind man. You can make things better for Hermione than they are for me."

Sirius looked up with red-rimmed eyes. "What do you want me to do?"

Ginny blinked back tears of her own. "I want you to do more than just get her through it. Don't just be careful, be kind. Be patient. Because at breakfast the next morning, when that letter comes, Hermione doesn't have to feel the dread that I felt."

Sirius tipped his head back, and let out a long sigh. When he looked back at her, he seemed to have calmed. "Are you ok, Ginny?"

Ginny decided to be blunt. "No, I'm not. But if you tell anyone that, I'll never speak to you again."

Sirius nodded slowly in understanding. "I should go get changed and cleaned up for the ceremony." He stood, went to the door, and opened it to leave. Then he turned back. "If you ever need to vent, you know where to find me. And Ginny-" he gave her a small smile. "Thank you."


	15. Chapter 15

**Dear Readers**

** Here's number 15! And it's a long one, as far as my chapters go. It's a lot of dialogue, but it's important in the development of this fragile relationship. And I know many of you will hate me for where it left off, but the next chapter will not be far behind. No major warnings for this chapter. Enjoy!**

** Littlekat1010**

Hermione was still in the bathroom when Ginny returned from her conversation with Sirius. She sat on the edge of the bed to wait for the other girl. Then something caught her eye. It was a little pack of pills on Hermione's nightstand. Birth control.

Ginny picked up the packet and flipped it over. _"Take once daily before bed."_ Checking to make certain that the bathroom door was still closed, she opened the drawer in the bedside stand and saw a pharmacy bag. Inside the bag there were several more months worth of pills, and an information packet. Ginny slipped the info and a pack of pills into her purse, and shut the drawer. She felt guilty stealing from Hermione, but she would make an appointment with a muggle doctor and replace the packet with one of her own as soon as she could.

And besides, better to steal from her best friend than get pregnant with Lucius Malfoy's child.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

By the time the ceremony was over, Hermione was exhausted. She felt raw, frazzled, and emotional. Sirius stood across the room, talking to Remus. She watched as he ran his hands through his hair, and his chest heaved with a sigh. He, too, looked tired, and a bit on edge.

"Mione?" Ginny's voice spoke gently in her ear, startling her out of her observation.

"Hey, Gin." She forced a small smile.

"How are you doing, babe?" Ginny's bright eyes searched Hermione's face anxiously.

"I'm fine, Gin. Just a bit tired."

It was a lie, and they both knew it. But Ginny seemed to understand that Hermione needed to pretend, even if it were just for tonight.

"I have to go, Mione. It's getting late." In reality, Ginny had several hours before she had to be back at the Manor. But with the wedding over, Hermione and Sirius would be off to Grimmauld place to begin their strange new life together. Ginny knew that the rest of the party was going back to the Burrow for drinks, but Ginny couldn't stand the thought of being interrogated by her well-intentioned family for the next several hours about her marriage.

Hermione nodded, and a spark of fear lit her eyes. It was as though Ginny's absence would commence what she had been dreading for days now. Ginny gave her friend a hug, and just held her close for a moment. "Talk to him, Mione." She said quietly in Hermione's ear.

Hermione pulled back and shook her head. "I don't know if I can, Gin. What if-"

"You have to." Ginny's voice was gentle, hushed, but urgent. "Sirius is a good man, but if you never let him know how you feel, he'll never have the chance to prove it to you. Promise me you'll try?"

Hermione tipped her head back, took a deep breath, and blinked back tears that had been threatening to spill over all day. Then she looked back at Ginny. "I promise, Gin. You'll be ok?"

Ginny smiled and shook her head. "Don't you worry about me. I'll be just fine. Owl me tomorrow to let me know that you are alright?"

Hermione nodded and Ginny pulled her in for one last hug. Her eyes met Sirius's over Hermione's shoulder, and he gave her the tiniest of smiles, and a reassuring nod. Knowing that there was nothing more for her do say, she stepped into the Ministry fireplace and disappeared into the green flames.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Sirius was pacing for what felt like the hundredth time this week, only now, he was pacing as a married man. He shook his head in disbelief. That sounded so odd...married man. He did not feel married. He did not want to be married. But he was, and now he had to act like it. He swirled around the whiskey in the bottom of his glass before taking a sip. He had decided to allow himself just one glass; enough to relax him, but allow him to keep all of his senses about him. He really, really needed to relax.

Upstairs, in his bathroom, was a girl he had known since she was thirteen years old. He was old enough to be her father, and now, he was her husband. He had shown her to the room, and she had quietly asked for a half hour or so of privacy. He had readily agreed, and then fairly fled the room. He was not at all eager to go back.

His mind traveled to Ginny. It had taken a lot of courage for her to speak to him so frankly. He could tell that she had been almost as embarrassed by the conversation as he had been, but he also could tell that it was important to her. His blood boiled at the thought of Ginny Weasley in the hands of Lucius Malfoy. She had claimed that he had not been cruel, but it was clear to him that she had been through more than she cared to share. Out of respect for her, he had not pressed. Sirius could only hope that she would confide in someone soon. He knew from experience how lonely it can be in the house of a Deatheater. He had, after all, grown up with his father.

The forthcoming letter from the Ministry was yet another thing for him to worry about. Ginny had been very clear about the stipulations the Ministry had laid down for the newlyweds under the law. It was outrageous to force marriages, and then force regular sexual activity. They had practically signed the rape orders of dozens of young witches.

Sirius drank down the last bit of whiskey and shook his head to clear it. He had no control over what happened to Ginny Weasley. Until she came to him to talk, he couldn't even provide moral support. But Hermione was a different story. Her story, he could change.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

By the time Sirius entered the bedroom, Hermione had been alone nearly 45 minutes. He had hoped that it would give her time to relax, but she looked as uptight and terrified as she had when he had left her. She had obviously bathed ,and her hair was tied up into a simple French twist. She wore a very simple piece of lingerie. It was a light blue, and made of silk. It had spaghetti straps, and fell lightly down to the middle of her thighs. She sat rigidly on the edge of the bed, staring straight ahead and blinking rapidly. Sirius, wearing a pair of black pajama pants and a short over robe, went and sat next her her.

"You look lovely, Hermione" He said truthfully. She stiffened, and he sighed. This was not the time for compliments. What they needed right now was honesty. And for her to be honest with him, she needed to be comfortable with him. Sirius silently reached to the end of the bed and picked up the extra blanket that lay folded there. He draped it over her shoulders, and smiled a little when she drew it tighter around her. Then he scooted back into the middle of the bed and sat cross legged, facing the headboard.

"Come sit with me, Hermione." She only hesitated a moment before she scooted back onto the pillows and folded her own legs under her. For a moment, Sirius had the ridiculous picture in his head of two young girls sitting like this, gossiping about boys, at a slumber party. He was gripped with the insane urge to laugh, which would have been completely inappropriate. He resisted.

"Can you look at me when I talk, Hermione?" He kept his tone soft and gentle, and after several moments, she raised her head. Her eyes were glistening with tears that she was furiously trying to blink back. One escaped and ran quickly down her cheek.

"Hey now, sweetheart. There's no need for tears. We're just going to talk, ok?" He leaned forward and lightly brushed away the tear with his thumb. The contact seemed to startle her.

"This thing here, you and me? It's not an easy place to be in. But if we don't communicate a little, it's going to be disastrous."

Hermione nodded her understanding.

"Do you want to start, or should I?"

"You start." Came the expected answer. Sirius knew it was easier to be vulnerable with someone if they had been vulnerable with you first. Hermione wanted to know just how honest he was going to be with her before she opened up to him.

"Alright, then. First off, I need you to know that I don't resent you at all for this. I get the feeling that you think I'm upset with you. That couldn't be further from the truth. I realize I'm probably to blame for you thinking that way. My initial reaction to our pairing was, well, not the most mature. But I would never blame you for has happened. If anything, I think you deserve better that what you got."

He paused for a long moment to search her face. She wasn't crying any more, but her gaze had returned to her lap. He took a deep breath and continued.

"The next thing you need to know is that I will never, ever hurt you intentionally—not physically, and not emotionally. I'm not-" he habitually ran his hands through his unruly hair. "I'm not the best with relationships, and I'm bound to do stupid things. But I'll do my best. I know this marriage isn't what a young woman dreams of, but if you'll let me know your wants and needs, I'll do my best to make it a happy one."

Honesty was exhausting for Sirius. Hermione's eyes were still trained on her lap. "Hermione? Can you talk to me?"

For a moment, she didn't speak. "What do you want to know?" Her voice was soft, and a little shaky.

"Anything you need to say. Anything that will help me know you better." For all the years he had known her, Sirius suddenly felt like he was sitting across from a stranger.

There was another long pause in which he suspected she was fighting back tears.

"I'm frightened."

The words were spoken so softly he scarcely heard her, and when he did, his heart broke a little. It was the most honest thing she could have said to him, and he wasn't quite certain how to put her fears at rest.

"Of me?"

Her head shot up and she met his eyes. "No—well, yes. No! Merlin I don't know-" She took a deep breath. "Of marriage, of this life I'm supposed to live now, of—of-" She broke off, and looked down again, but her flushed cheeks gave Sirius a good idea of what she was thinking.

"Of tonight." He finished softly.

She nodded, just barely, the flush in her cheeks darkening.

Sirius just observed her for a moment. He felt as though he were building a house of cards. One wrong move, and the whole delicate structure would come crashing down. He reached forward and gently took her small hands in his own.

"Hermione, love, look at me." She did, and the tortured embarrassment in her eyes was clear. "Those are all valid fears, and we need to talk about all of them. But how about we deal with one at a time? Let's start with the most immediate one."

Her eyes widened a little at the thought of talking about such a sensitive subject, and she shook her head. "What is there to talk about? We don't have a choice."

Sirius reached one hand out and cupped her cheek. "That is partially true. We have an obligation to fulfill. But we have hours in which to do it. I know you have questions, concerns. There are things about you that I would like to know. It will make the whole experience easier if we talk about these things first. Does that sounds good?"

Hermione nodded, although she still looked skeptical.

Sirius gave her a little smile. "Good. I started last time, so this time it's your turn. We can ask each other anything we like, within reason, and the other person must answer honestly. Sound fair?"

There was another nod, and a long pause as his bride summoned up the courage to ask her first question. "Are the rumors about you true?" She finally blurted out.

There was no need for her to clarify—Sirius knew exactly which rumors she spoke of.

"Some of them." he answered honestly. "Some of those rumors make me sound much more salacious than I really am, but yes, I've had my fair share of partners. What about you?"

He already knew the answer to his own question, of course, but he wanted Hermione to tell him for herself, so that she knew that he was aware of her lack of experience.

She blushed deeply before shaking her head and saying softly, "I don't have much experience to speak of. I've never—well, you know."

He wanted to laugh at her charming inability to say the word, but he knew that would hurt her feelings, so he kept his amusement to himself.

"Does that bother you?" He was surprised when she spoke again.

"Does what bother me?"

"That I'm a—that I've never-"

He decided to save her from her discomfort, and so graciously cut in. "Of course not, Hermione. The only thing that bothers me is that your first time doesn't get to be with someone you love, but inexperience is certainly nothing to be ashamed of." His answer seemed to relax her just a bit. "Go on, you get to ask a question."

She looked startled. "I've just asked one."

Sirius shook his head and smiled. "I didn't think that one counted, but ok then. Has someone talked to you about sex? Is there anything you don't understand?"

Hermione shook her head quickly and looked thoroughly embarrassed. "I know all the basics. My mum talked me through everything when I was younger."

Sirius nodded. He had wanted to make certain that she was not going into this night ignorant. It would be nerve-wracking enough for her, without wondering what was going to happen next. "Very well, your turn."

Hermione looked very much like she wanted to say something, but she didn't speak for several minutes.

"Hermione, whatever it is, you can ask."

"Does it hurt?" The childish question, so sincere, blurted out in embarrassment and fear, made Sirius realize just how innocent the girl before him was. He move up beside her so that they were both leaning against the pillows at the headboard, his hand still closed around hers.

"It can for a woman, the first time." He knew that if she were to trust him, he would have to be honest. "The most important thing is that you are prepared. If you're not aroused, if you're tense, if you don't trust me, it is likely to hurt more." He could feel the little hand beneath his begin to tremble. He shifted a bit to face her better, and lifted her chin to meet her eyes.

"Hermione, you are going to be ok. This night—I know it's not what you'd dreamed of, or wanted, but it doesn't have to be a bad experience. It can even be good. Can you try to relax and trust me?"

She closed her eyes briefly, and nodded.

"Ok then, my last question for you." He knew she was not going to like this one. "Have you ever touched yourself?"

He was right. Her eyes flew open and she backed away from him in shock. "You can't ask me that!" She was flushing so much that she looked as though she were about to catch fire.

Sirius smiled gently. "It's nothing to be ashamed of love. Just answer the question, please?"

Hermione shook her head fervently. "I'm not answering that!" Her voice sounded strained.

"I'll take that as a yes." He said lightly. She glared. "Come back and sit by me, Hermione. There is no shame in doing what nearly every teenager on the planet does."

Hermione returned to where she had been sitting, and covered her face with her hands. Sirius was a little relieved. Her instantaneous reaction of embarrassment and shame made him suspect that she had not only explored, but she had found pleasure in doing so. That was good news for him. It meant that Hermione was already aware that her body could bring her pleasure. It would give her mind a reference point to refer to tonight.

"Is there anything else, anything at all that you want to say?"

Hermione, face still covered, shook her head. Sirius grasped her arms and gently pulled them away from her face. He sat across from her, both her hands in his. "We have hours, Hermione, before midnight. We are not in a rush. We'll start slow, with things you are comfortable and familiar with, and go from there. Anything you don't like, we won't do, ok?" She nodded. "Good. I want this to be a good experience for you, and the more you communicate with me, tell me what you like and what you don't, the easier this will be."

"But I don't know what to do." She whispered hoarsely

He knew what she meant. Knowing the mechanics of sex, and being comfortable in the act were two very different things. "There is no right or wrong here, sweetheart. Sex is about what two people enjoy doing when they are together intimately. It varies with each person. You should never feel pressured to do something because you think I like it, or you are afraid you will do something wrong."

"But I'm not sure-"

"Hermione, relax, love. Let me start things off. If you dislike something, tell me. If you want to try something, do it. I'll let you know what I like and don't like, and you will do the same with me. If you have questions, you can always ask. Just do what is natural, ok? That's all there is to it."

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"Ok, then. How about we start with a massage."

Hermione looked surprised. "A massage?"

Sirius nodded. "It will relax you, and it's a good way for you to get comfortable with my touch."

She bit her bottom lip, and nodded. Sirius leaned in and lightly kissed her forehead.

"Good girl. Lie down on your stomach, and get comfortable."

**A/N: I know, it's horrible of me to leave it there. I swear the next chapter is on it's way, and it will continue right where this one left off. I just wanted to get this posted. Review review review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Dear Readers,**

**Here, at long, long last, is Chapter 16. A huge thank you, to those of you who are still following this story, despite the many long weeks, and sometimes, months between updates. Also, a thanks to the last few reviewers, who reminded me that I should probably get on this.**

**I truly despise writing sex scenes, particularly sex scenes in unusual situations, such as this one. I didn't want to make this too awful, because Sirius is a good man, and I wanted to contrast Sirius and Lucius. But I also didn't want to make it fairy-tale happy either. I think I found a decent balance. In the end, I opted for more emotional turmoil than sexual turmoil. **

** So here you are. Thank you everyone for your much undeserved loyalty. **

**LITTLEKAT_1010**

**Warnings: This chapter contains explicit sex, and should not be read by anyone under 18.**

Sirius watched at Hermione lay down on her stomach, and he didn't miss how she kept tugging her nightgown down to keep herself covered. When she was situated, he rose onto his knees beside her, and began massaging her shoulders. Merlin, she was tense. He gently worked at the knots in her muscles, probably the result of a very stressful week. He felt her breath catch, and he stopped.

"Too much?" he asked. She hesitated. "Now is the time to begin communicating with me, Hermione."

"It-it's just a little to hard on that spot."

Sirius continued, lessening the pressure a little, feeling her relax under his careful administrations. He worked his hands all the way down her back, conscious of the way she tense when he reached her lower back. They passed the minutes in silence, until his hands began to get sore from the motions. He stopped massaging, lay down on his side so that he was propped up one arm, facing her.

"Feel a little more relaxed?" He asked, smiling a little.

She nodded, turning over onto her back. "I hadn't realized how tense my shoulders were until you started working on the muscles."

She looked up at him, brown eyes wide, waiting. Sirius realized that she was looking to him to move them forward, take the lead in this unconventional situation.

"I was being honest before, you know, when I told you that you are beautiful."

She blushed, and looked away. "You don't have to say that."

He started a bit at that. He knew that she had been an awkward child, but had she not noticed how stunning she had become? He reached over and tilted her chin toward him.

"Trust me, Hermione, when I tell you that this is no chore for me." That, for certain, he could say with honesty. Marriage may not be something that he had ever wanted, and given their age differences and history, the situation was awkward. His body, however, did not seem to care. If anything, Sirius felt a little guilty that he might enjoy this too much.

Hermione didn't respond to that, but her cheeks grew a little darker at his blunt admittance. Her eyes met his again. "So what now?" she whispered, the apprehension back.

Sirius cupped her cheek and leaned down, laying a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips. He drew back a little to meet her eyes. She was breathing a little faster than she had been, and she looked a panicked. "Now, we go slowly, at your pace. If I move too fast, you tell me. Promise?" She bit her bottom lip and nodded.

He brought his lips back down to hers, ever so softly deepening the kiss. He felt her breathing slow a little. He knew she had dated, and no doubt kissing was the one area where she actually had experience. She began to kiss him back, tentatively at first, and then with more confidence. Her lips parted slightly to meet his, and he was pleased when her arms came up around his neck. He ran his tongue lightly over her bottom lip, asking for entrance, which she granted. He was careful not to be too aggressive. He wanted to guide her through the experience, not make her feel like she had no control over what happened.

When he finally broke away from her after several minutes of kissing, he was pleased to find that her face was flushed, and she was panting slightly. He gave her a grin, and she smiled back, a little embarrassed that she had enjoyed that so much. Sirius leaned back down, this kissing with more passion. His hand cupped one breast through her nightgown, and she stiffened momentarily, before he felt her consciously relax. He ran his thumb over her nipple, feeling it harden beneath his touch. She let out a small gasp at the new sensation, and he moved to give the same attentions to her other breast.

He broke their kiss, and keeping his eyes on hers, reached up to pull the thin strap of her nightgown first off the left shoulder, then off of the right. His eyes silently asked for her permission, and she nodded her head. He could detect no more fear in her eyes, only nerves. He slid the straps down her arms, exposing her breasts and torso to him. Eyes still on hers, he gently flicked his thumb over her nipples, watching as her breath caught in her throat. When he lowered his mouth to her nipple, the sensation caused her to gasp, and he smile inwardly. Sirius spent the next several minutes lavishing attention on her breasts, extracting several more of those delightful gasps.

He reached a hand down to the hem of her nightgown, and slowly began to pull it up. He felt her stiffen immediately. Her eyes flew open, and all of the progress they had made flew out the window. He stopped, watching her, waiting.

"I-I'm not sure-" She stumbled over words, but he understood the senseless ramblings.

"I want you to think back to those times when you were exploring by yourself, Hermione." She turned her head away in shame. He gently pulled her head back to him, and kissed her lips softly. "It is a natural thing to do, love. Don't be ashamed of it." Her expression was unsure, as though she didn't know if he was right about that. He continued. "That was pleasurable, wasn't it?"

She nodded, obviously still embarrassed by the subject.

He smiled at her. "And this will be too. Just relax, close your eyes, and feel."

Hermione took a deep breath, before settling back into the pillows and allowing herself to relax. He kissed her again, grounding her and distracting her from the hand that had gathered her nightgown at her waist. He was pleasantly surprised to find that she was bare beneath the slip. He ran his finger lightly over her most intimate place, then back down over her thighs, before slipping his finger between her folds.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he found that she was indeed aroused. He gently explored her slick folds with his finger, dipping briefly into her and watching her body react. Her eyes were still closed, and she seemed to be lost in his touch. His finger circled her clitoris several times, and her body shuddered. He slid two fingers into her, pumping slowly, while his thumb continued administrations to her nub. She let out a small cry of pleasure, and he could see that she was on the edge. He removed his hand, and heard her moan in despair.

He kissed her fully on the mouth, and silently summoned a small jar of lubricant. He slipped his pants off, and pulled her slip down over her feet. She watched him, her eyes wide when they saw his size. Woman had always been appreciative of his ample member, but he saw the fear return when Hermione considered it. She caught him watching her, and looked away.

He let out a small, gentle laugh. "It's ok to look, Hermione." He propped himself up on his elbow so that they lay parallel to each other, both fully nude. She met his gray eyes with her brown ones.

"I'm still afraid."

Sirius sighed in frustration, but not at her. He was frustrated with the situation. He was frustrated that no matter how good he was to her tonight, there was still no love between them. And the beautiful girl before him deserved to give herself to someone that she loved.

His hand stroked her cheek gently. "I'll be gentle, as gentle as I possibly can. But it may still hurt a little your first time."

"Only a little?" In these last moments before the act, naked, and vulnerable, she was opening up to him. He was the only one who could help her through this, after all. The weight of his responsibility to her lay heavily on him.

"The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be. It might even begin to feel good." He intended to make it as pleasurable as possible for her. He opened the jar of lubricant, and spread a generous amount on himself. She was aroused, but apprehension could take that away, and he wanted to be certain that it went as easily as possible.

He kissed her again, and his hand returned to her folds, making her gasp in pleasure. She was as ready as she would ever be.

Sirius positioned himself on top of her, gently spreading her legs with his knee. His own member throbbed in anticipation. She was so damn gorgeous. He held most of his own weight on his arms so that he wouldn't crush her. He positioned himself at her entrance, and met her eyes.

"Put your arms around my neck." he instructed quietly. She did so without question. "Hold as tightly as you need to, and focus on me." He kept his eyes on her. He wanted to be able to read her if she needed him to stop. "Relax. Just breathe."

He began to push forward, slowly, gently. His body was screaming for stimulation, but he pushed it aside and focused on Hermione. Her eyes kept locked on his, vulnerable, trusting. He pushed in a little further and met her barrier. "Ready?" he whispered to her. She closed her eyes briefly and nodded. Before she could over think things, Sirius pushed through in one swift motion, and buried himself inside of her. She didn't make a sound, but her nails dug into his back, and a single tear escaped from her closed eyes. He held her closer, letting her adjust, kissing both eyes gently, then her lips. She looked up at him and gave him a small smile through her watery eyes. He began to move very slowly, setting a gentle, even pace. He sat up a little so that he could watch her better, and watched her body slowly lose it's tension. His reached his thumb down to her clitoris, less gently this time. His motions were more deliberate, more focused.

She unconsciously let out a moan at the stimulation, and her back arched slightly. Her hands reached up to grasp the pillow beneath her head. Sirius picked up his pace a little, still careful not to go too hard. Her eyes opened, and she looked at him frantically.

"I-I need to-" she gasped as her orgasm overtook her, and Sirius watched in pleasure as she writhed beneath him. He had never seen anything so sexy. It was incredibly tempting to continue like this, she felt so damn good. Sirius prided himself on his endurance, but realized that now probably wasn't the time to showcase it. She would be sore in the morning as it was. With that thought, he let himself go, gasping for breath as pleasure coursed through his body in waves. It was several moments before either of them could speak.

Sirius rolled off of her, casting a silent cleansing spell over both of them, and the bed. The spell left a clean scent in its wake. He propped himself up on his side to look at her. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing heavily.

"Hermione?" His voice broke the silence gently. "Look at me, Hermione."

She shook her head as tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"Just look at me, love." She reluctantly opened her eyes and turned toward him.

"Did I hurt you?" Sirius asked first. He didn't think he had, but maybe in his passion...

She shook her head. "No-" She choked out. "No, you were so good to me. I'm sorry, it's just-" Hermione took a deep breath. "It's the whole day, it's everything-I don't even know why I'm crying-" She began to sob again as Sirius pulled her against his chest and held her tightly.

His heart broke for her as she cried, and the emotions of the day, an unwanted marriage, and her first time all came crashing down at once.

"Shhhh, darlin. It's ok to cry. You were wonderful." He murmured into her hair. "So brave, so beautiful. Go ahead and cry."

He held her until she settled, and then eventually, slept.

But Sirius lay awake long after that, considering the woman in his arms, and dreading, for her sake, the letter he knew would be waiting for them in the morning.

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**And, if you are in the mood, head on over and read my one-shot, "The Choice". I'm considering extending it, and I would love more feedback.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Dear Readers,**

** I'm back! With TWO chapters time! Miraculous, I know. Thank you to all of you who are still reading this, and for the brand-new readers who take the time to review, therefore reminding me that even if I know how the story turns out, you all are still waiting for the next chapter. This chapter jumps between couples several times, but the story is going to begin to focus in on Lucius and Ginny. Enjoy these next bits, and rest assured, I am nearly done with chapter ninteen. **

** Littlekat1010**

Lucius felt the magical tug of the floo system, notifying him that the girl had returned. He glanced at the clock, and was surprised that it was not yet 9. The summer sky had plenty of light left; he had expected her to procrastinate her return as long as she possibly could. He closed his leather bound book and rose from his chair, the leather making a small creaking noise in the silence of the immense library. The only floo he had opened for her led directly to her bedroom, so he made his way through the marble halls to her door, where he gave a brisk knock.

"I told you I'm not hungry, Lela." She sounded irritated, and tired.

"I've never been mistaken for a house elf before, but there's a first time for everything." Lucius spoke dryly as he opened the door. The girl looked up in surprise, and Lucius saw that her eyes were red.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, I didn't know it was you." Her voice was especially spiritless.

He surveyed her keenly. "You are home early."

She flinched a little, as though the idea of Malfoy Manor being home were painful to her. "The wedding was short."

"I would have thought that you would want to spend the evening with your family." There was just the slightest tinge of distaste in his tone when he referred to her blood traitor relatives, but it seemed to go over her head.

"I didn't relish having to answer their questions. It would have made them worry."

He started a bit at the painful honesty in her answer. "Very well. You should sleep, then. Tomorrow is Sunday, and we are going to Diagon Alley."

The girl looked up in surprise. "Why?"

Lucius raised his eyebrows. "To shop for you, of course. If I remember correctly, there is very little left in your wardrobe. Whether by my choosing or not, you bear the Malfoy name. And I would be unreasonable to expect you to dress as such if I did not provide you with the means, wouldn't I?"

He didn't miss the look she threw at him when he mentioned him being unreasonable. She clearly still thought that his small fire this morning had been just that. He graciously chose to ignore it.

"We leave at 9. Be dressed and ready to go."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Hermione woke before 7 Sunday morning, and it took her several moments to remember where she was. The events of the past week came flooding back to her in one rush, and her breathe caught with the reminder. Hermione Black. It sounded strange, even in her head. She was tempted to say it out loud, to see if it felt more comfortable on her lips, but then remembered the man sleeping soundly next to her. His back was to her, his newly cut black hair lay disheveled on the pillow. Husband. Wife. The words seemed surreal to her.

A prolonged rumble in her stomach reminded her that she had hardly eaten the previous day; she was famished. She slipped quietly and easily from the bed, careful not to wake Sirius; she knew him well enough to know that unlike herself, he was not a morning person. She noticed a slight ache between her legs as she wrapped her robe around her and padded out of the room toward the kitchen. It felt a little strange, knowing that this was her new home, and yet Hermione was thankful that it was a place she knew, that held happy memories from her school years.

There were times when an irrational part of her missed the excitement, focus, and purpose of the years when all she thought about was fighting Voldermort, and protecting Ron and Harry as best she could. The bonds of their friendship had never diminished, but there was a thread in wartime that connected them in a way a peaceful existence could not. Their purpose had been clear, they had known who the enemy was. And best of all, they could do something to fight it. Sometimes war was simpler than peace, and more than once since Voldermort's defeat, the Golden Trio had joked that they wished for such times to return. But there was always a hint of truth beneath the joking manner, a wistful sadness for the times when evil had united the good against it; now there were so many facets of good, and the bickering politicians seemed more divided each day.

Hermione shook the unrealistic thoughts from her head, and set to make herself breakfast. Her familiarity with the kitchen was a comfort, and she was soon settled down with a bowl of steaming hot cereal and a cup of coffee. As she ate, she gazed out the glass door that let to one of the house's many balconies, and noticed the the owl had already left the morning post in front of the door. Hermione quickly retrieved it, coffee in hand. She could at least enjoy the morning paper with her breakfast.

The front page headline made her heart stop.

"New Marriage Law Amendment Causes Outrage Across the Country"

But it was what she read next that made her drop the cup of coffee in her hand, shattering the mug on the floor, just as Sirius entered the kitchen.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

It had taken Ginny several hours to fall asleep after Malfoy had left her room the night before, and the last thing she had expected was for him to be there when she woke.

"Ginevra!"

"Ten more minutes, Dad." was her drowsy reply.

"I am not your father, Ginevra, and I recommend you wake up at once."

Ginny opened her eyes to see not her room at the Burrow, or her dad attempting to wake her, but Lucius Malfoy standing over her. She sat up, pulling the covers tight around her. "I'm sorry, Mr Malfoy." she apologized sleepily. "I was dreaming."

Lucius didn't acknowledge her apology. "What time is it, Ginevra?" He asked sharply.

Ginny looked at him blankly. "I-I don't know. I-"

"It is precisely 9:08 in the morning. What time did I tell you to be ready to go?"

Ginny's face reddened at his terse, condescending tone. "There is no reason to speak to me like that, Malfoy. I'm not a child. I forgot to ask Lula to wake me."

She watched him as his expression became unnaturally calm, and his voice quiet to a tone she already recognized as a warning sign.

"You have 20 minutes to be in the front hall, ready to go."

Ginny swallowed hard. This man made her so nervous, but she was determined not to be a doormat. "I will be ready when I am ready."

Lucius grasped her chin and tilted it up so that she had to meet his eyes. "20 minutes, Ginevra. Or you will face the consequences."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Without a word, Sirius levitated the broken shards from the mug into the rubbish bin, and with a wave of his wand, the floor was wiped clean of the spilled coffee. Then he poured her a new cup, and brought it to the table. By the time he was done, Hermione was sitting calmly at the kitchen table, the newspaper article laid out before her.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Sirius spoke quietly.

Wordlessly, she pushed the article toward him, and he skimmed it quickly, confirming his suspicion about the cause of her little meltdown. He raised his eyes to her face, taking in her pale countenance and uncertain expression.

"I'm sorry." It was all he could find to say. He had no control over this law, or what it was doing to young people all across the wizarding world. He wished with all of his heart that he could spare them both this awkward situation, and the emotional turmoil that would surely accompany it.

Hermione studied his face for a moment. "You don't seem surprised." His lack of response was enough for her. Her eyes widened.

"You knew." Her voice was low, quiet, accusatory.

Sirius didn't try to justify himself. "Yes. I knew."

"How?"

He suspected that she would figure that answer out on her own, and after another moment of silence, she did.

"Ginny?"

He nodded.

"Why did she tell you? Why not me? You had no right to keep this from me!" Her voice rose in volume and pitch, and angry tears had started to form in her eyes.

Sirius had expected this reaction, and he had prepared himself for it. "Perhaps you are right, Hermione." He spoke softly. "Perhaps Ginny should have told you, instead of coming to me. And perhaps I should have warned you when I found out. But don't be angry with her; she was doing what she thought would make things easiest on you."

Hermione glared at him. "She's my best friend. She should have told me! And how was hearing this from the Daily Prophet easier than hearing it from her?"

Sirius took a deep breath. "Ginny came to me yesterday afternoon, Hermione. She was worried about you, and she thought I should know."

"You, but not me? That makes sense." Hermione spat out caustically.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I thought that not knowing would make last night easier for you. I think Ginny believed the same thing."

He could see that his words had calmed her a little, and he let her collect her thoughts and wipe the tears from her eyes.

"You're probably right. It would have made things worse." She let out a little sob, and buried her face in her hands.

Sirius stood from his chair and crossed to the other side of the table where Hermione sat. He crouched in front of her, grasping her hands in his own. He was as uncertain as she was in the mess they had been forced into, but he wanted her to trust that he could lead her through this.

"Was last night so bad for you, Hermione?" His question was sincere. Sirius had honestly done his best to make things pleasant for her, to make this news come easier than it had come for Ginny. Perhaps it hadn't been enough. Hermione stared at her lap, and he could see her cheeks flushing a little, but she didn't answer. Sirius decided to try a different question.

"Do you trust me, Hermione?"

The girl met his eyes and answered at once. "Yes." was her soft reply.

Sirius smiled just a little. "Then," he said, "we will get through this together."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny cried angrily as she dressed and pinned up her hair. Getting ready never really took her longer than half an hour, and with Lula's help, she was ready in plenty of time. His words kept ringing through her head. "_20 minutes, Ginevra, or you will face the consequences."_ Ginny put the last hairpin in place, adjusted her robes, and raised her chin. What could he honestly do to her? Perhaps she would primp just a little bit longer.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny tried to look confident as she entered the front hall, but her stomach was churning. She had felt quite rebellious and certain of her self for the 15 minutes of unnecessary time she had spent in her bedroom, but the long walk to the front hall had made her rethink her choice. Thus far Malfoy had been true to his threats. Perhaps she had been foolish to test him again.

From the entry way into the hall she could see his form, facing the window, hands clasped quite easily behind his back. She hesitated, suddenly very afraid. He must have heard her, because he turned away from the window. She dared a glance at his face, and was annoyed that the man was so difficult to read. But there was no sign of anger, and he mentioned nothing of her late appearance. He simply held out his hand to her. She crossed the room to him and placed her small hand in his larger one. He turned on the spot, and the front hall of Malfoy Manor dissolved around them.

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	18. Chapter 18

**Dear Readers,**

** This chapter is transitory, meaning that it marks the shift out of Lucius and Ginny's really dreadful, completely uncommunicative marriage, and the beginning of the next phase. What the next phase consists of is for me to know and for you to find out. :D Let me assure those of you who are concerned about the pace of this transition. (I've had several PMs concerning this topic.) The next few chapters you will see a shift in Lucius, in his behavior, and in his attitude toward Ginevra. Be assured that this is not the unrealistic, dramatic change you often see in fictions of this kind. Lucius will remain who he ever was. I have no intentions of turning him into a romantic sap, or of their marriage becoming a fairytale. People are creatures of habit, and even after the most dramatic epiphany, will eventually face the very real struggle of not returning to what they have been.**

** So when you see Lucius's better side begin to emerge, have no fears. He is an impossibly flawed man (aren't we all?) and will remain so.**

** Littlekat1010**

Ginevra Weasley had spent a good deal of time in Diagon Alley during her 17 years. Any child who grew up in Britain's wizarding community would have done the same. What she hadn't realized was that there were shops within the alley that she had never noticed, heard of, or stepped into. It was precisely these shops that Lucius Malfoy took her to now. Diagon Alley was quiet on Sunday, none of the crowd or the bustle from the week, Ginny was relieved that there was little risk of her running into someone she knew.

A small bell sounded as they entered the first shop, and a tiny, gray haired woman in green robes rushed out from behind the counter to greet them enthusiastically. "Lucius! Dear! It is so good to see you!" She didn't seem to notice Ginny, who hovered uncertainly near the door as Malfoy went forward to return the greeting.

Ginny was surprised at the sincere smile that graced her husband's face as he bend to kiss the woman on the cheek. "Elsa! It has been far too long."

Elsa smiled up at him. "What brings you in today, Lucius?"

Malfoy took Ginny's hand and led her forward. "Elsa, this is Ginevra Malfoy, my wife."

The woman's hazel eyes widened in surprise, and she lifted an eyebrow at Lucius. But when her attention turned to Ginny, the smile on her face was soft and sincere. "It's a pleasure to meet you, dear. I'm Elsa Lott, the owner of this little shop. What can we get for you today?"

Lucius answered for her. "Ginevra is in need of a new wardrobe, Elsa. We are starting from scratch."

Elsa's face lit up. "Excellent! Very well then, we shall get started at once! Pennelyn! Antonia!"

Two young assistants appeared from the back of the store. "Take Mrs. Malfoy and get her started with the look-books."

Without another word, Ginny was hustled into a spacious sitting room, given a glass of champagne, and a book filled with sketches, color swatches, and sample materials. She was instructed to relax, read, and tell the two eager girls what she liked best. They seemed to understand that Ginny was uncertain of her surroundings, and so took the couch seats on either side of her, and did their best to make her comfortable.

"My name's Antonia, and that's Pennelyn." Both girls had dark, thick hair plaited in braids that reached halfway down their backs. They were both petite, although Antonia, the one who had spoken, was clearly younger. "We're Elsa's niece's, and also her apprentices. We help her around the shop."

Antonia was much more outgoing than Pennelyn, but Ginny found both girls equally charming and likeable. They were full of suggestions and ideas, and withing 20 minutes Ginny had found a dozen or more pages to mark. Then she was whisked back out to the shop where Lucius and Elsa were waiting. Lucius was sitting comfortably in a green velvet chair, sipping scotch.

Elsa flipped through Ginny's marked pages, and nodded with satisfaction. "Excellent, my dear. In the proper colors, most of these pieces will suit you very well. They are youthful and sophisticated. Let's get started then, shall we? Step up on that pedestal there, will you dear?"

Ginny stepped up on a pedestal that faced three full-length mirrors, and held still while Elsa circled her. "Girls," she addressed her niece's. "Pull what we have in these styles, and find me several bolts of fabric that will suit Mrs. Malfoy's coloring." The girls rushed off to the back to find what Elsa needed. The tiny lady declared "Well then, here we go!"

And she gave her wand a satisfactory wave. To Ginny's great shock and embarrassment, she was suddenly left standing in nothing but her bra and underwear. Her eyes unconsciously went to Lucius. He was clearly amused at her embarrassment, and made no effort to avert his eyes. Her face reddened in shame and anger, and she looked away.

By the time the fitting was done and the new clothes wrapped up and paid for (they cost more than Ginny's father made in six months) Ginny was exhausted.

"Off you go then dear" Elsa said with a motherly smile. "You can go back to the back room and dress, and I'm certain Pennelyn and Antonia will want to say goodbye to you also."

When the girl was out of earshot, Elsa turned to where Lucius sat. "Now then, Lucius dear, what is all this about?"

Lucius sighed, knowing it was useless to keep information from Elsa Lott. "You surely knew about the Marriage Law, Elsa."

The woman nodded. "Of course, but I never dreamed you'd be paired so soon after Narcissa, Lucius. And to someone so young."

Lucius's face darkened. "She a year younger than Draco would have been. I did everything I could to escape the pairing, but no one in the proper age range is safe from the cursed law."

Elsa's eyes flitted to the back room. "The poor dear. It must be very difficult for her."

"I'm hurt, Elsa." Lucius joked, but his eyes did not smile with his mouth.

Elsa turned back to him. "Don't think you can fool me, Lucius Malfoy. I know you better than anyone, except perhaps Severus. You've scarcely been married three days, and you've already given up on her."

Lucius raised his eyebrows. "I never had any hope in her to begin with, Elsa. She's a 17 year old girl from a blood-traitor family."

Elsa shook her head at her favorite customer, a man she looked at almost as a son. "Be good to her, Lucius, and she might just surprise you."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

"We have one last stop before we head back to the Manor."

The girl nodded tiredly and followed him several blocks to a small, curtained shop.

**"Felicity's Fine Lingerie" **The sign about the door read, in elegant script. Ginevra stopped short. Lucius turned to look at her. "Is something the matter, Ginevra?" The girl looked up at him in horror.

"I'm not going in there with you." Her voice was defiant, as though she were already steeling herself for a fight.

"I don't believe I gave you an option, Ginevra, although if you refuse, I can add it to the consquences from this morning's little incident." Her face paled, much to Lucius's satisfaction. She thought that he had forgotten. She would eventually come to realize that he always followed through on his promises. She spoke again, her voice softer this time, pleading.

"Please, Mr. Malfoy. Don't make me do this. I won't be late again." She sounded truly terrified.

Lucius sighed, and stepped closer to her. He grasped her chin gently and looked into her eyes. "This is not a punishment, Ginevra, nor is it anything sexual. But if I'm not mistaken, you are wearing your only underclothes at the moment. I disposed of the rest of them, or have you forgotten so soon?" The girl was blinking back tears furiously. "I wouldn't expect you to purchase anything of a bedroom nature. Considering the circumstances, that would be most distasteful."

He held her chin until she spoke again. "Just practical things?" Her voice was raspy.

Lucius released her and inclined his head in affirmation. "Though of a considerably higher quality than you are accustomed to."

He stepped back so that she could proceed him into the shop.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

An hour later, Mr and Mrs Malfoy apparated back into the front hall of Malfoy Manor. Their many packages and bags had been magically delivered to the Manor already, and no doubt the house elves had unpacked and stored each new item perfectly. The girl released Lucius's hand and moved to leave the hall.

"Ginevra." He spoke quietly, but it stopped her in her tracks. "You will come with me to the library. We have some matters to discuss."

It was a quiet walk down the marble halls to the great double doors of the library. Lucius opened the door, spoke a quiet word, and the sconces and fireplaces came to life with flame. He nodded to the two leather chairs that sat near the fireplace. "Sit down, please." He poured himself a glass of brandy, and a small glass of wine for the girl. She took it with a quiet "Thank you" and gazed uncomfortably into the fire.

Lucius made himself comfortable in his chair, and for several minutes they sat in silence, Ginevra watching the fire, and Lucius watching her. The firelight accented her high cheek bones and auburn hair. She may have been a Weasley, but there was no doubt that she was a beautiful girl. In that, at least, he could take consolation. At last he spoke.

"You received another letter this morning, a wedding invitation to the wedding of one Mr Harry Potter and Miss. Luna Lovegood.."

The girl looked up at him. "What were you doing opening my mail?" she asked hotly.

"Watch your tone, Ginevra." He spoke coolly. "The invitation was not addressed just to you."

The girl looked surprised by that, but she didn't say anything.

"And here is where we come to the point. My first inclination is to not let you go. You're little stunt this morning gave me 15 extra minutes to think on it."

Ginevra's tone became defensive. "It takes me longer than 20 minutes to get ready! I went as quickly as I could."

Lucius raised his eyebrows. "Come now, Ginevra, lying will get you nowhere. Lula popped down here to tell me that you were ready and on your way nearly 20 minutes before you deigned to make an appearance. But I've decided to leave it up to you."

The girl looked wary at that. "What do you mean?"

Lucius took a leisurely sip of brandy. "The wedding is tomorrow. Either you stay here and miss it altogether, or you go with me."

"What?"

"And you remain by my side all night."

Ginny laughed. "You are going to go to Harry Potter's wedding to babysit me? You must be joking."

Lucius didn't even blink. "I assure you I am not. If you wish to go to the wedding it will be on my terms." He smiled wryly. "Granted, I would have attended the wedding anyway, for political reasons, if nothing else. I will remind you that this is your own doing. I warned you there would be consequences. Be thankful that they are not more severe. Perhaps next time you will prove more reasonable when I issue an ultimatum."

The girl glared at him from her chair, and opened her mouth to speak.

"If you have something to say, Ginevra, I would recommend that you keep your head about you."

He watched as she closed her eyes and took another breath. "I have plenty to say, Mr. Malfoy. But nothing that would pass as reasonable in your eyes." She opened her eyes and looked at him. The defiance was gone, replaced by a sadness that struck Lucius as being too intense for someone her age. "I will go with you to Harry's wedding. Is there anything else you wish from me?"

Lucius shook his head, and the girl left, setting her untouched wine on the table between them.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius woke Monday morning to an owl at his window. The distinctive black bird with white speckles belonged to Severus, and bore an invitation to his Hogwarts quarters. Lucius was more eager than he would have admitted to see his friend. Severus was the only person in the world who knew how much Lucius depended on him, and even he would never broach the subject.

Lucius flooed in not an hour after the owl tapped on his window, and Severus greeted him with a rare smile and an embrace. "Lucius. How's married life?"

"Severus. Can we speak of something else for at least a quarter of an hour?"

Severus grinned. "That bad, huh? Come on in, I have coffee, biscuits, and plenty of other conversational topics." He slung an arm around Lucius's shoulder and they made their way to the sitting room.

"So," Severus said, his face perfectly serious "what do you think of this year's boomslang crop?"

Lucius let out a groan. "Good god, Severus, I'd rather discuss my marriage than potions ingredients."

Severus gave him an annoyingly innocent look. "Really? I had no idea." His face sobered. "Truly, Lucius, tell me. I don't need Occlumency to see that things have not improved."

Lucius closed his eyes and shook his head. "I am dealing with things."

Severus shook his head. "You cannot control this marriage into working, Lucius. I know you, and compromise has never been a strong point. If you don't make an effort to meet Ginny half way, either you will push her to a breaking point, or you will stifle her spirit completely."

Lucius smirked. "You're being rather melodramatic, don't you think, Severus? It's only been three days. I hardly think you're in a position to be making long term predictions."

Severus didn't lighten. "Perhaps. But if I _am_ right, Lucius, and you let it go that far, you will be far worse off that you are now."

The two friends sat in amicable silence, both thinking about the unwilling bride back at Malfoy Manor.

"Have you had her again?" Severus asked bluntly.

Lucius shot him a glare, but the potions master simply waited for an answer.

Lucius sighed. "No, Severus, I have not. Tonight, after the Potter wedding."

Severus raised his eyebrows in question, and Lucius felt compelled to explain. "I decided on a set schedule. Spontaneous sex didn't seem like a good idea, since the girl is much more likely to run from me than welcome me."

"I see." Severus responded vaguely.

Lucius rolled his eyes. "I know you have more words of wisdom that you are simply dying to lay upon me, Severus Tobias Snape, so out with it."

"No wisdom, Lucius, just questions."

"Well then, Severus, ask away. There is nothing I would not tell you."

Still, Severus hesitated before he spoke again. "Did you enjoy it?"

Lucius went very still. "We've discussed this, Severus. I told you my feelings about that night, and I don't believe any of them resembled enjoyment."

"I know, old friend. I am not talking about your mind, or your emotions. Physically, were you able to find pleasure?"

Lucius looked away. "I am still a man, Severus, although I don't know when I've felt more ashamed of it." His voice was grieved.

"And she is a woman, Lucius. Your marriage to the former Miss Weasley may never be satisfactory, but in this one thing you need not torture yourself." Severus spoke gently.

"What are you suggesting, Severus?" Lucius sounded tired, even to his own ears.

"I am suggesting that if you can find common ground in the bedroom, it may enable you to be civil elsewhere."

"That advice seems a bit backwards, Severus. And in my case, probably useless. The girl wouldn't even let me attempt to arouse her." Lucius spoke bluntly, subconsciously aware that this conversation would be extraordinary and awkward for any other two men in his circle of peers. He and Severus had seen each other at their very best – and their very worst. There was no shame here.

"Don't shoot for the moon, Lucius. Start small. There is a gentle side of you, however hidden you choose to keep it. If there is one person who needs to see it emerge, it is your bride. She is young, inexperienced, and you are now the only one who can guide her through the experiences that a normal young girl would learn in youthful flings." Severus paused for a breath.

"Oh, is that all you want me to do, Severus?" Lucius remarked dryly.

"One more thing, Lucius. I realize the girl is younger than your son, she is still a child. But she is not your child. She is your wife, by no choice of her own. You would do well to remember that."

Lucius reached for the coffee pot to pour himself another cup. "If I didn't know the details of your many successful relationships, Severus, I would laugh at you for such soft words." Very few people were aware of the nature of Severus' romantic life—or that he even had one at all.

Severus gave his friend a self-satisfied smile. "As it is, old friend, you have no choice but to accept them."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny was ready to go at promptly 5:00, although a very small part of her was tempted to make it 5:01. She had selected a simple, cream colored, knee length dress with a gold braid around the waist. It had been a favorite piece of hers from Elsa's look book. It had reminded her of a Greek goddess. The color was not a problem, since the traditional bridal color in the wizarding world was blue. He hair was loosely swept up onto her head, her makeup light and natural.

Lucius was waiting for her in the front hall, perfectly fitted dark green and silver robes flowing around him. His hair was pulled back at the nape of his neck, his cane, which Ginny knew concealed his wand, was in his hand. He made no comment about her punctual appearance.

"Shall we, then?" He held out his hand to her. Not meeting his eyes, placed her palm on his, and felt the now familiar tug of magic as they disapparated, landing this time on the road in front of the Burrow. Ginny stumbled as they landed, and Lucius caught her waist, holding her until she found her balance.

"Steady?" He questioned quietly, and then released her as she nodded. "By my side, the whole night." Lucius said quietly. "Understood?"

"_She's not your child, Lucius, she's your bride."_

Lucius shook Severus from his mind, and offered Ginevra his arm.

"Understood." she spoke quietly, not meeting his eyes, and he detected the resentment and anger simmering beneath her tone. Nevertheless, she took his arm, and they walked the rest of the way to the Burrow.

Harry and Luna's wedding was quite different from the other weddings that had taken place that week, which had been rather unhappy, solemn events. Ginny was happy that two of her best friends could find happiness in this horrific law, and that they could share their happiness with friends and family.

Lucius surveyed the crowd, taking quick stock of who he should avoid, and who he should make certain to speak to. His eyes met Arthur Weasley's from across the lawn, and Lucius quickly looked away. He supposed he would have to speak to the man before the night was over, but he wasn't looking accelerate that particular conversation.

"Malfoy? Merlin, I'm surprised to see you here."

Lucius turned to see Goyle Sr. holding out his hand in greeting. Lucius released the girl's arm to shake Goyle's hand. "I could say the same for you, Gregory. I wasn't aware that you were a part of Potter's regular circle."

Goyle let out a laugh. "Oh, I'm not, but I'm well acquainted with the father of the bride. We've worked together at the ministry. It took a little persuasion, but eventually he extended the invitation to me."

Lucius could well imagine what form that persuasion took. He too was acquainted with Xenophilius Lovegood, and as crazy as the man was, he was not easily bullied. Goyle continued.

"I had heard you were paired with the Weasley girl, Lucius, but I hadn't heard how lucky you'd gotten. Merlin, you grew up nice, didn't you? I should have been so lucky. Someone so young, I've bet you've enjoyed having her around, Lucius." Goyle leered at Ginevra, and Lucius could feel her shrink back into him. He put his arm around the girl's shoulder.

"A pleasure running into you, Goyle. Enjoy the wedding." He guided Ginevra toward the rows of white chairs on the lawn, and found a pair of unsaved seats in the fifth row.

He looked down at his young wife, and found her to be just a little paler than usual.

"Are you alright?" He asked with genuine concern. He was quite certain that Goyle shared none of Lucius's own regrets about their days under Voldermort's reign.

The girl nodded. "I'm fine. He – he just frightened me a little. It's silly."

Lucius removed his arm from her shoulder. "It's not silly. If you knew Gregory Goyle a little better, you'd thank Merlin that you are married to me."

Ginevra let out a little laugh, then sobered quickly as she met his eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to –"

"Ginevra, there is no need to apologize. It was intended to be funny." Nevertheless, Lucius was suddenly glad that he had Ginevra bound to him for the night. There were few things more dangerous to a pretty young girl than a jealous former Death Eater.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

The wedding ceremony was Lucius's favorite kind – short. Although if he were entirely honest with himself, it was also very sweet. It was the first sign of happiness he had seen spark from this law, and the Lovegood girl seemed to have outgrown her insane father's influence. She seemed relatively normal, if a little flighty.

Moments after the ceremony was over, the lawn had been transformed into a reception area, with a buffet of surprisingly good food, tables, and a dance floor with a live band. Lucius, the girl still on his arm, made his way over to a table with several of his coworkers from the Ministry. He could practically feel the girl aching to go join her friends, but he was determined to stay true to his word.

"_She's not your daughter..."_

Screw Severus.

"Ginny!" Lucius heard a happy yell from across the lawn, and saw a red haired young man who bore a remarkable resemblance to Ginevra making his way toward them. The solemn girl at his side smiled sincerely for the first time in days.

"Ron!" The two siblings embraced, laughing as they tripped over each other in their enthusiasm.

"Merlin, Ron, it's good to see you!"

"Come over to our table, Ginny, Hermione and Sirius and everyone is over there."

Ginevra sent a pleading look in Lucius's direction, and he leaned down so he could speak for her ears only. "I'll come get you in ten minutes."

She nodded, eager for any time with her friends and family. The Weasley clan and their friends were only a few tables over, and he kept a close eye on her as she sat at the table and chatted eagerly with her friends. Soon, however, he was deeply engrossed in a political debate, and he forgot about watching the girl.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

"Ginny!" There was a happy chorus of her name as she approached the table, and hugs from everyone, although Hermione's greeting was distinctly cold. Sirius, however, seemed more than happy to see her. As she hugged him, he whispered in her ear "She upset you didn't warn her. She'll be fine in a few days. Are you ok?" She pulled back and gave him a shaky smile and a nod.

When she had said hellos all around, she looked at Ron. "So? When's the big day?"

Ron suddenly looked nervous. "Saturday. I'm an absolute wreck."

The whole table chuckled at his frank admittance.

"You liked her, though, when you guys met for dinner?" asked Fred.

"Yeah, she was great. Easy to talk to, nice, pretty, even. But if you're implying that it means I'm all set to marry her, you've overestimated my confidence, mate."

There was another round of laughter, and assurances from everyone that Ron would be fine.

The ten minutes passed in a flash, and Ginny could see that Lucius was still deeply engaged in his conversation. She realized that she hadn't used the restroom for several hours, and she desperately needed to.

"I'm going to the loo, ok guys? If Malfoy comes over here, let him know where I've gone."

She didn't notice the looks her friends exchanged when she referred to her husband by his surname.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGGLGLG

Ginny finished washing her hands, and adjusted her dress in the mirror. She would never have admitted it to her husband, but her new wardrobe was beginning to grow on her. She opened the bathroom door and bumped right into someone.

"Well, well, if it isn't the lovely Mrs. Malfoy." Gregory Goyle smiled down at her.

"Excuse me, Mr. Goyle, I need to go meet up with Mr. Malfoy."

"Mr Malfoy? Is that what you call him?" He backed her up against the bathroom door. "So formal, so distant. You must not be very fond of him."

Ginny was trembling. The man reeked of alcohol, and she was all alone with him in a hallway, a loud party going on outside, with music blaring. No one would hear her scream.

"I'll tell you what." The man said. "After we're done here, you can just call me Gregory."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius saw Arthur Weasley heading his direction. Rather than force the man to interrupt, he excused himself from the conversation and made his way back toward the edge of the reception, where they would have some privacy.

"Lucius."

"Arthur."

The two men greeted each other tersely, but the usual scathing tone of hatred was missing. There was something they shared now, something much more valuable than their personal pride.

"Lucius, I-"

"Arthur, please -"

They spoke at the same time. Lucius found that for the first time since he had met the man, he related to Arthur Weasley. And for the first time ever, he had no desire to fight with the man. Lucius had been a father too, and he knew that were he in Arthur's position, his concern for his son would be overwhelming. He knew the fear, and the reality, of losing a child. He stopped, and let the man have his say.

"I know you too well, Lucius, not to be concerned for Ginny. And I know better than to hope that threats of any nature will have an effect. So against my better judgment, I am going to plead with you not to hurt her. She's only a child." Arthur's eyes bore into him, and Lucius could see the dark circles under his eyes, evidence of sleepless nights spent worrying about the consequences this law would have on his children.

Lucius spoke as honestly as he could. "I can't promise she'll ever be happy with me, Arthur. But I promise not to hurt her, not intentionally." _I am who I am._

The unspoken words were heard by Arthur Weasley, who nevertheless seemed grateful for Lucius's assurance.

"She deserves more than that." Arthur said "But under the circumstances, it is enough."

Lucius inclined his head, and Arthur walked away, his shoulder slumped with the burden the past week.

Lucius glanced at his watch, and realized that more than twenty minutes had past since Ginevra had left with her friends. He headed toward the table where her friends still sad, and frowned when he did not see her there. The raucous, happy group grew very still as he drew near.

"May I inquire as to the whereabouts of my bride?" He asked coolly.

One of the Weasley twins spoke up first, his contempt for his new brother-in-law quite clear in his voice.

"She said she was going to the loo."

"That was a good fifteen minutes ago." Sirius Black frowned. "She's probably chatting with someone by now."

Annoyance swelled up in Lucius as he headed to the house. The girl seemed incapable of following instructions. His eyes searched the party as he walked, searching for any sign of Ginevra, but he couldn't spot her distinctive hair and white dress anywhere.

The moment he open the door to the Burrow, he knew what had happened. Muffled shrieks came from upstairs, and an angry male voice rose and fell with the screeches. He flew to the stairs, taking them two at a time toward Ginevra's voice. He burst through the bathroom door, pulling his wand from his cane and stunning Gregory Goyle in the back, so that the man flew off Ginevra, hit the sink, and fell unconscious to the floor.

His first thought was for the sobbing girl on the floor. Her dress was pulled up around her waist, and her under garments were torn. He could see, much to his relief, that he had found her in time to save her from the worst. Judging by the gouges on Goyle's face, she had fought to hold him off as long as she could. He knelt down beside her and scooped her up into his arms. She was shaking uncontrollably.

He quickly, carefully made his way down to the main floor of the house, just in time to see Arthur Weasley coming in to use the restroom himself.

"What the hell -"

Lucius cut him off. "Gregory Goyle is lying on your bathroom floor. I stunned him when I found him attempting to force himself on Ginevra. I'm taking her back to the Manor. You'll deal with Goyle."

Weasley nodded silently, and from the look on his face, Malfoy was quite confident that Gregory Goyle would rather regret his actions tonight.

Holding Ginevra close to him, he turned on the spot, bringing them back to Malfoy Manor.

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	19. Chapter 19

**Dear Readers,**

** Here it is...chapter 19. Thank you all for your many, many reviews the last couple chapters...keep it up! I really do take your opinions into account, and several of you have given me some things to think about. This one isn't terribly long, so sorry about that. But chapter 20 will be up soon.**

**Littlekat1010**

They apparated directly into Lucius's bedroom, and he carefully set Ginevra down on the pillows.

"Lula!"

The house elf appeared immediately. "Yes, sir?"

"Fetch me a calming potion, and a strong cup of tea for Mrs. Malfoy. Quickly!"

The house elf nodded frantically and left to get the desired objects.

Lucius returned to the bed and sat beside the girl in silence until Lula returned. She handed him the potion, and set the tea on the bedside stand, looking anxiously at her new mistress sobbing on the bed. "Thank you, Lula. You can go now." The house elf was gone with a loud crack.

Lucius helped Ginevra sit up, and put the bottle of potion to her lips. She drank it willingly, and in a few minutes, her sobs had calmed to sniffles, and she sat up on her own. He handed her the cup of tea.

"Tell me what happened." He said quietly.

"I-I left to go use the bathroom. I was going to come right back, I swear, Mr. Malfoy. But when I came out, Goyle was there and he – he said he was going to -" she broke off, and Lucius didn't press for details. He could guess the rest himself.

"Please, sir, don't be angry with me. I was only going to the loo, and I meant to return sooner, and -"

"Ginevra. Why in Merlin's name would you think that I would blame you for what just happened? Gregory Goyle was no doubt waiting for such an opportunity. I should have seen it coming and warned you."

She looked at him uncertainly, as though she didn't believe that he wasn't angry with her. His mind flashed to their wedding night, his reaction to her fear of him, the way he had threatened her. In her eyes, he was no different than Goyle. Severus was right – he had some explaining to do, and his bedroom was certainly not the right place to do it. It was still early, only 7 o'clock.

"Come, Ginevra. We are going to the library."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

When they had settled in their respective chairs by the fire, the girl with her cup of tea, and Lucius with brandy.

"This is quite a situation we find ourselves in, Ginevra."

He waited for her to speak, but she stared into the fire, her tear streaked face still filled with apprehension.

"Today is Monday, you know." He could see by her face that she knew very well what day it was, and what that meant. "But I think that before we take this any further, we need to talk. Shall I start, or you?"

She looked up at him warily. "You, I guess, Mr. Malfoy."

"Lucius." he corrected softly, pleased at the surprise on her face. "The only way I know how to explain anything to you is to start from the beginning, with my servitude to the Dark Lord." He gave her a wry look. "My tale is not so pitiable as Severus', I'm afraid. I joined him out of a lust for power, and nothing more. In my early years, I fancied myself his friend, his confidante. I relished in the blood, and the violence." He paused. If she knew the details of his past, she might never look at him again. But if he didn't tell her, there was no point in any explanation at all. "I'll spare you the details, but you should know that what you nearly experienced tonight has been dealt from my own hand in the past."

He watched her carefully when he said that, and she paled considerably, but stayed in her chair, and took another sip of her tea. So Lucius continued.

"There is no justification for what I did early on, and even less justification for the acts I committed later, after I had realized my mistake. I was too afraid to do as Severus had done and use my position with the Dark Lord for more noble cause. Instead, I hovered and groveled, and did my best to keep myself and my family alive. Even in that, I failed." He took another gulp of his brandy. Recounting this was not easy for him. "After Narcissa and Draco died, I expected to live my life in solitude. You can imagine my anger at receiving our pairing. I had hoped that after our wedding and initial consummation, we could live our lives separately, married only in name. I had every intention of being good to you – of making it as easy for you as I could, under the circumstances. As you know, things did not go so well as I had hoped.

Your resistance to me flared up horrific memories, things I have done that I would wish to forget, and besides that, a fear of returning to Azkaban. So I threatened you. I had no desire to force myself on you, and had it not been the law, I would have gladly forgone the entire night. But I had hoped that if you believed me capable of the worst, that you would cooperate. Of course, your fear of what I might do made it impossible for the night to go anything but badly.

None of this is any excuse for my treatment of you that night, or of the last several days. I'm afraid our age difference made me quite determined that the best way to handle this is the same way I would have handled a child. Clearly, I was wrong, as tonight demonstrated."

He stopped speaking, aware that she was crying softly. She raised her face to him.

"So I am to believe that you are sorry, that who you have been the last several days is not who you are?" Her voice was soft, but incredulous.

"Not at all. I never claimed to be anyone else. I am indeed an extremely controlling man with dreadful communication skills. I cannot promise to be otherwise, or that I will be able to make you happy in the marriage, and I can very nearly assure you that however long we are married, there will be no love between us. But I am not Gregory Goyle. Can you at least believe that of me?"

Ginevra met his eyes, tears still streaming silently down her cheeks. "I can, if for no other reason than you pulled him off of me tonight."

Lucius took a deep breath. It was a start. "And I'll do my best to stop treating you like a child. It is an ill mix in any marriage...even a badly arranged one."

Ginevra took a breath as if to speak, but stopped quite suddenly. Lucius leaned forward in his chair. "I've been frank with you, Ginevra. You should do the same."

"I'm frightened." Her voice was hoarse. "It hurts." The simple words made her sound so young, as though he needed to be reminded of that.

Lucius closed his eyes. Merlin, what a mess they had created together, and in less than a week. Quite the accomplishment.

"Do you dance, Ginevra?" The girl looked up in surprise.

"No, I don't think I've ever danced in my life."

Lucius waved his hand, and a slow waltz began to play from the record play near the fireplace. He stood, and offered her his hand.

She looked at him skeptically. "Is this some attempt at wooing? Because – "

"Don't flatter yourself, Ginevra." But there was no venom in his words. "It's just a dance."

She took his hand hesitantly, and he pulled her close to him, placing her hand on his shoulder, holding the other out with his own. Then he began the steps to a simple waltz. Ginevra was stiff in his arms, and she stepped on his feet, and would have fallen if he hadn't anticipated and caught her.

"I don't know the steps." She said, red faced at her blunder, and feeling a little silly.

"You don't need to. Relax, let me show you where to go. Lean into me, instead of away." He felt her consciously relax her body, and focus in on him. After several more missteps, she fell into step with him, following his lead easily, no stumbles, no toe damage. He knew the feeling of wonder, the first time your body and mind connect with both the music and your partner. They waltzed in silence until the song ended, and she looked pleased with herself when he stepped back to look into her face.

"That was well done." Lucius said. "You learn quickly."

"_If there is anyone who needs to see your gentler side emerge, it is your bride."_

He cupped her cheek with one hand, aware of how she tensed at his touch now that the dance had ended.

"Love perfects sex, Ginevra. But it isn't necessary for it." He smiled just a little at the blush that spread through her cheeks at his frankness.

She looked up at him, tears back in her eyes. "I don't know what to do. It was so painful."

His stomach twisted. Her first time shouldn't have been that way. He couldn't ever give that back to her. "You weren't aroused. You were tense. I was angry." Her face burned redder, embarrassed to talk with this man in such a way. "We don't have a choice in the doing, Ginevra. The law governs that. But if you can relax, let me lead you through it, the same way you did when we were dancing, it doesn't have to be something to dread. Let me earn your trust." His thumb brushed her cheek.

She nodded tearfully. "Ok, Mr. Malfoy."

"Lucius. That's where we begin. Say it, Ginevra."

She met his eyes, all of the fear and apprehension she was feeling written on her face.

"Lucius."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius suggested that they both bathe and change into more comfortable attire before continuing their discussion, and so it was nearly an hour later when Ginevra returned to the library to meet with him. There was an awkward silence, the intense emotions from earlier waning a bit, leaving nothing but reality between them. Lucius kept his eyes on his book, although he was not really reading much at all.

"Mr Malfoy, did you want to go – " She stopped short, clearly torn between the anxiety of waiting for the inevitable, and the desire to prolong the wait as much as she could.

Lucius didn't even glance her way. "What was my name again?" He kept his voice light, but it seemed to fluster her anyway.

"Lucius. I'm sorry."

He lowered his novel to look at her. She was wrapped in a thick robe, her wavy red hair loose around her shoulders. She looked tired. He studied her as he thought in silence. The next time he took her would be crucial. She would either begin to trust him, or she would hate him more than ever. Lucius had no delusions of a steamy night; which ever way it went, it would be difficult, emotional night. He was not certain that either of them had the mindset for that right now, especially with the memory of Gregory Goyle fresh on her mind. On the other hand, he thought it might be better to get it done with, to perhaps set her a little more at ease. The girl turned her head to the fire, and he saw the dark circles beneath her eyes. He made his decision.

"I'm not certain that tonight is the best time for this, Ginevra. You've been through quite enough today."

She nearly slumped in relief at his words.

"You should rest. We will continue this tomorrow, at breakfast. Is that agreeable?"

Lucius picked up his book again. "Goodnight then, Ginevra."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius should have known better than to be surprised when Severus flooed directly into the library that night, with no word of warning. There were few people that had total access to the Manor – in fact, now that Draco and Narcissa were gone, it was only Severus and Lucius who had such freedom. Lucius had taken care to ward certain rooms from his child bride. There were some aspects of himself that he had no desire to share with her. Nor, he was certain, would she find comfort in them.

"Common courtesy dictates that you warn me before simply appearing in my house, Severus. What if you had interrupted something?"  
Severus looked amused at that idea. "I didn't floo into your bedroom, Lucius." He made himself comfortable in the leather chair opposite Lucius. "Aren't you going to offer me a drink?"

Lucius didn't look up from his book. "Pour your own bloody drink, Severus."

Severus grinned and obliged, pouring a glass for his uptight friend as well. "Well, Lucius?"

Lucius sighed and closed his book, giving up on getting any significant amount of reading done tonight. "I didn't touch her, Severus."

"You would have been an ass if you had, after today." was the honest response.

"It's never stopped me in the past." Lucius said cynically.

"Lucius." Severus spoke with gentle reproach.

Lucius shook his head. "I didn't mean that, Severus." He took a drink, enjoying the warming sensation of the fine scotch. Severus had a bad habit of drinking Lucius's most valuable alcohol. "We actually made some progress today, I think." He recounted the conversation to Severus, who looked pleasantly surprised by the end of it.

"So you are waiting for it to happen naturally, then?"

Lucius gave a bit of a laugh at that. "I'm not so naïve as that, Severus. We have a deadline to make, and the girl flinches every time I touch her. Perhaps if we had time...but we do not. No, I will have to initiate things, if we are to do our duty twice before the end of the week."

Severus looked solemn. "It is going to be difficult, Lucius. Perhaps as difficult as before. These things take time."

Lucius nodded, and took another sip. Severus eyed him.

"You are afraid."

Lucius looked incredulous. "Afraid of having my bride again? Don't insult me, Severus."

"Afraid of hurting her again." His words made Lucius uncomfortable. They hit closer to home than he cared to admit, but he didn't respond.

"Do you care for her, Lucius?"  
Lucius scoffed. "Don't be absurd, Severus. Of course not." That much, at least, he could say with honesty. He slumped back in his chair and met the black eyes that could always see right through him. "But for once, her father was right. She deserves better than this mess."

Neither man spoke again. There didn't seem to be anything else to say.

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	20. Chapter 20

**Dear Readers,**

** Ah, Chapter 20. And Chapter 21 following immediately. These were very difficult to write, so I'm sorry about the longish wait. At least it was under 3 months this time. :D And they are both short, which is why I am posting them together. Enjoy!**

**Littlekat1010**

Ginny Malfoy had come to dread breakfast. It seemed to be the hour for ill news and angry words, and the sense of dread in her stomach had completely overtaken her appetite. Nevertheless, she dressed in one of her many new outfits, arranged her hair in a low, sophisticated ponytail, and made her way down to the dining room of Malfoy Manor. Lucius was already waiting for her. He said nothing, but she could feel his eyes on her as she sat next to him where her plate had been set.

"Did you sleep well?" His voice was quiet, casual.

Ginny nodded instinctively, but her perceptive husband was not fooled.

"Don't lie to me, Ginevra."

She kept her eyes on her breakfast. There had been a moment, last night, where she thought that perhaps she could at least try to trust this man, to give him a second chance. The whole day, the moment where he had been her hero, the waltz...they had all been a haze of emotion. But darkness had brought nightmares, and when she woke from them, there had been the memories from her wedding night to greet her. She felt ashamed that she had been so open with the man who had caused this pain in the first place. Now, sitting before his piercing eyes in the light of a new day, she felt unbelievably vulnerable.

"I—there were nightmares."

They ate in silence, Lucius pretending to read the rest of the paper, Ginevra focused on not bursting into tears or simply fleeing the dining hall completely. When Lula had at last cleared the plates, Lucius spoke again.

"Since you seem to be unable to even look at me, I assume you're mind is no more at rest than it was last night. If there were something I could do to put your mind at ease..." He paused, waiting for her reply.

Ginny swallowed hard. "Wait. Give me a few more days." She was pleased that there was no tremor in her voice.

Lucius sighed deeply. "That is something I cannot do. We only have until Saturday night, Ginevra, to complete our requirements twice over. I will not allow you to procrastinate this, spend the next week worrying and not sleeping. You will terrify yourself to death." Lucius stood and crossed to Ginny's chair, resting his hands on her shoulders. She tensed, but he did not remove them.

"I have to go out for an hour or so. Be ready when I get back." His voice was quiet, but left no room for argument. "Try to calm yourself, Ginevra. For your own sake."

He turned on his heel and left the room, leaving a trembling Ginevra alone.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGGLGLG

Lucius flooed into Severus' living room at exactly half past ten. Severus was ready for him.

"Here you are, Lucius." He gestured to a small box that contained several vials, sitting on the coffee table. He pointed to each vial as he spoke.

"That is a dreamless sleep potion. That is a minor pain potion. It is specifically intended to target muscle soreness, so it should be more effective than the one you originally gave her. This is a calming potion, for either one of you." He grinned. "And that is the best lubricant known to mankind. It also has a minor muscle relaxant in it. It won't help much if she's really tense, or fighting you, but if things go well, it should ease the process. Why you didn't think to use it the first time is beyond me."

Lucius ignored that last comment. "Thank you, Severus."

Severus closed up the box and handed it to his friend. "Would you like to stay for a drink? It's a bit early for Scotch, but Irish coffee is perfectly respectable."

Lucius smiled. "It's never too early for Scotch. And as much as I appreciate the offer, I should be getting back to the Manor."

Severus nodded his understanding. "You are a good man, Lucius. Remember that today."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGGLGLG

Lucius flooed directly into his bedroom, and immediately rang for Lula. "Could you please escort Mrs. Malfoy to me?"

"Mrs. Malfoy is just getting out of the bath, Sir. Lula will bring her as soon as she is ready."

"Thank you, Lula. And Lula? Tell her to take her time."

He didn't want the girl to feel like he was demanding her in his bed, although that was essentially what he was doing. But as patient as he was prepared to be, the fact remained that there was a time crunch. Not only that, but Lucius sincerely felt that the longer they waited, the more upset and nervous the girl was prone to become. She had done her best to hide it from him, but Lucius had seen that she had been on the verge of tears all during breakfast.

He had showered the night before, but decided to use his time to do so again. When he was finished and his long hair had been magically dried, he pulled it back at the nape of his neck, and dressed back into his usual robes. Then he settled into the chair that stood in one corner of the room and focused on his book for the next half an hour. Lula's knock on the door pulled him out of the description of an advanced magical theory, and he closed the book and placed it on the chair-side stand before softly calling "enter".

It was a moment before the door opened, and the girl stood alone in the doorway. She was dressed in the same clothes she'd worn to breakfast, an olive green shirt and cream colored skirt. Her hair was in a braid on top of her head, the way it had been their first night together. She seemed unsure of what to do.

"Come in, Ginevra, and close the door."

She did as he instructed, then turned to face him, her hands clasped nervously behind her back.

"I was uncertain of what I should wear." Her voice broke the awkward silence.

"What you have on is just fine." He held out his hand to her from where he sat, and she crossed the room to him to take it. He looked up into her pale face, felt her hand trembling slightly in his. "You are afraid of me." She couldn't hide her face from him from this angle, and he saw her close her eyes briefly to hold back tears. Lucius stood, moving slowly, as if a sudden movement might spook her.

"There is only one way that I know how to do this, Ginevra, and that is to be in control. But I need you to be willing."

"I don't understand. I can't make myself want this." Her voice was choked. Lucius grasped her chin and pulled it up.

"No more hiding your face from me, Ginevra. I cannot know what you are thinking if I cannot see your eyes." He moved his hand to her cheek, and she tensed noticeably. "You cannot make yourself want this, but you can be willing that it should happen. It will take a good deal more courage to give yourself to me, than to fight me." His thumb caressed her cheek softly, but the girl did not relax.

"I don't trust you."

"I know."

He watched her, he could practically see the wheels turning in her mind. She had no choice but to do this. She was determining in what way she wished to go about it.

"Do you want this?" Her question was unexpected, and it took Lucius a second to register what she'd asked.

He wasn't certain what answer she wanted. He decided to be blunt. "You are a beautiful girl, Ginevra. I would be lying if I said that my body isn't looking forward to this."

Slowly, she nodded, and spoke in a whisper. "Show me what to do."

Lucius leaned down, and softly pressed his lips to hers.

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	21. Chapter 21

**Dear Readers,**

** Here it is, the chapter that I've been putting off for as long as possible. You know how much I hate writing sex scenes, especially transitory sex scenes with character development. They take me forever to write. Hopefully it meets expectations. **

** Littlekat1010**

It was only the second kiss they had shared. The first had been at the Ministry for the ceremony. Lucius had thought before that the girl might be uncomfortable kissing him, that it would be too intimate for them. And perhaps it was. But Severus had pointed out that at her age, kissing was probably the only thing she had serious experience with. Lucius realized that he was right.

It was a brief kiss, and entirely one sided. Lucius pulled back a little to look at his bride. It was clear that she hadn't expected that. "Relax" He breathed softly.

He lowered his head to kiss her again, and this time her lips were not as stiff. He let this kiss linger. He pulled back again and smiled a little at her. "This is a waltz, Ginevra. If you lean into me, and follow my lead, we will dance. If you don't, you will stumble, as you did last night."

"Last night you caught me before I fell." Her response held the question she hadn't dared to voice aloud. _How patient can I trust you to be?_

Lucius smoothed her left eyebrow with his thumb. "And I will continue to catch you until you can waltz without a single misstep. Now, shall we try that again?" The girl nodded.

This time when he kissed her, he moved his hands from where they had rested on her shoulders, down to the small of her back, pulling her close to him. He felt her consciously relax her muscles, and begin to kiss him back. One hand moved to the back of her head, and his lips parted just a little. To his surprise, she responded by parting her own lips. Severus had been right. This, at least, was an area where she was comfortable. He kept his pace even, slowly deepening the kiss, running his tongue along her lower lip. When he finally released her, she was panting a little.

His eyes flickered down her form, and he felt himself stirring at the thought of having her beneath him again. He summoned his self control and kissed her again, and this time, his kiss was faster, more intense. He ran his tongue over her lips, and was granted access. He gently backed her up so that her back was against the bedroom wall, and broke the kiss off. He searched her face, and although the look of terror was gone, she was clearly apprehensive.

He reached down and grasped her wrists, bringing them up to his chest. "Unclasp my robe." He spoke quietly. She reached for the clasp, and the dark green robe fell to the floor. "Now my shirt." She hesitated a little, but her hands found his collar. She was trembling so badly that she had trouble with the small buttons that lined the front of his shirt.

"I'm sorry, I—"

His hands clasped hers, stopping her before she had successfully undone the fourth button. "Breathe, Ginevra. We are in no hurry." His body was urging him otherwise, but he stood patiently while she worked the rest of the buttons from their loops, and pushed his shirt from his shoulders. He didn't move as she tugged at his sleeves, and let the shirt drop beside the robe.

Lucius cupped her cheek and kissed her softly. "Go on, Ginevra. Touch me. It's only skin." He dropped his arms, as she hesitantly placed her small hand on his toned chest. Lucius was well aware that he was in excellent shape, and was glad that at least his bride needn't be disgusted by his body.

She looked up at him, uncertain, and he nodded his approval.

"My turn." He said, and she tensed considerably. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then each eyelid. He grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled. She obligingly put her arms up over her head. The moment he pulled the shirt from her arms, Lucius pulled her close to him. He relished in the feeling of her skin on his, while his hands found the clasp of her skirt. He stepped back and let it pool around her feet on the floor, leaving only her underclothes to cover her. Ginevra instinctively wrapped her arms around her midriff, but Lucius pulled them firmly away.

"Don't hide yourself from me, Ginevra."

She was blushing furiously. Lucius kissed her deeply, bringing her back into familiar territory, until she had once more relaxed into him. He pressed her into the wall, knowing that she could feel his erection through his pants. He stepped back and drank her figure in, pleased that she kept her arms by her sides. He grasped her hands again, this time bringing them down to his waist. She took a deep breath, and unbuttoned his pants. She slid them down with trembling hands, kneeling as Lucius stepped out of them. Her eyes flitted up to his, then back to his boxers. His erection strained against them. He nodded, stroking the top of her head reassuringly. She pulled his boxers down, and he inhaled sharply as they caught painfully on his erection.

The girl paused, and bit her lip uncertainly. "I'm sorry."

Lucius shook his head, and gave her a reassuring smile. "No apologies, Ginevra. You're doing fine."

She tried again, this time successfully pulling them over him. When he was fulling nude, she hesitated, and looked up at him from her kneeling position, the question she was too shy to ask nearly screaming from her eyes.

Lucius reached his hand down to her and pulled her up. "No, Ginevra. I would not ask that act of you, not tonight." The relief was evident in her face, and he was reminded once again of her low opinion of him. He took her gently by the shoulders and turned her away from him, unclasping her bra and dropping it to the floor. He wrapped his arms around her midriff and kissed her neck softly. He continued to caress her neck with his lips while his hands slipped her underwear over her hips. They dropped of their own accord the rest of the way.

He was acutely aware of how her body language had changed since their successful kissing session. She was tense, alert, and her breathing had shallowed considerably. He rested his hands on her hips, his member pressing into her back.

"Tell me what you are thinking." He breathed into her ear.

"I'm afraid."

He had known that already, but it was good that she could voice her fear aloud. "Are you afraid of me? Or of the pain you felt last time?"  
"You caused the pain, last time."

His breath caught, and he pushed down the indignation he felt at her words. If she hadn't fought him, he wouldn't have become angry.

"Yes I did."

There was a long silence. Lucius held the girl close to him, aware that she was holding her breath in anticipation. She was afraid she had made him angry. He took a deep breath; if he proved her right, this would be harder the next time around. He turned her around to face him, pulled her naked body close to his, and kissed her. He didn't hurt her, but he wasn't gentle as he had been, either. This kiss was about control. At first she was like stone, taken aback by the sudden aggression, but he felt her relax against him, and open her mouth to let him in. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. Then he crossed to the bed and sat down, his erection resting up against his stomach. Lucius held out his hand to her.

There was a long pause, and for a moment, he was certain she was going to refuse him, resist him again. But then she crossed to him and took it. There was no resistance in her eyes, only a deep vulnerability that served to remind him how fragile she was. She put on a defiant, tough face, but she was, after all, only a frightened girl.

He guided her down so that she lay on her back, and he saw her eyes welling up. A single tear escaped, and he caught it with this thumb. She blinked the rest of them away.

"We are going to do this a little differently tonight, Ginevra." He propped himself up on one elbow, leaning over her and stroking her hair as he spoke. His voice was gentle, soothing. "It will hopefully make things a little easier." Lucius knew from experience that while the missionary position was the most common with newlyweds and virgins, it was not actually the position most conducive for an easy entrance. "Turn over onto your side, away from me." She obeyed, stretching one arm up under her head. Lucius made certain she was comfortable, then lay down so that his stomach was pressed up against her back.

"Try to relax, Ginevra. Just feel." He began to kiss her neck again, something that she had been comfortable with before. His hand was pressed gently against her stomach, and he moved it up slowly, tracing circles between her breasts, down her right arm, and over her hip. He ran his thumb over her nipples, one at a time, until they stood erect from the attentions. He gently caressed every area of her body, avoiding only her most private place. He waited until her eyes were closed, and she had relaxed under his patient administrations. When he finally parted her legs and dipped his fingers into her folds, he found that she was dry. He was a little disappointed, if not too surprised. He hadn't expected to truly arouse her. The negative feelings she had toward him were too strong to allow that. But she was naked, lying next to him, and relatively relaxed. That was something.

He summoned the opened bottle of lubricant to him, and dipped his pointer finger in. She gasped a little at the cold, wet feeling when he contacted her folds again.

"What is that?"

He marveled again at her innocence. "It's a lubricant. It will help prepare you for me. Just stay focused on relaxing. Breathe."

He slipped one finger into her, and nearly moaned aloud at how tight she was. He gentle pumped his finger in and out of her. He removed it, and re lubricated before adding a second finger. He felt her tense when she felt the intrusion of the third finger, so he took it extra slowly, letting her adjust a little bit at a time. When he was confident that she was as prepared as she would be, he slipped his fingers from her and coated himself liberally in lubricant. He leaned into her and spoke softly. "I'm going to enter you now." She tensed. "Shhhhh, stay relaxed. You are doing a beautiful job."

He pulled her top leg up and toward him, resting it on his thigh. With his other hand, he guided himself to her entrance. Slowly, he pushed into her, an inch at a time, reminding her in gentle tones to breathe. When he reached the place where her hymen had been, he pushed the rest of the way in one fluid motion. For a moment, they lay there, neither one speaking.

"Are you ok?" His voice was a little breathless.

He heard a sniff, and knew that she was crying again. "I'm fine. It – it was only a pinch this time. Mostly just uncomfortable."

Lucius kissed her neck gently. "I will make this as short as possible." He began to move slowly, paying close attention to her body language. When he was certain that he wasn't hurting her, he picked up the pace. For a man with his stamina, taking his gratification so quickly was a blow to his pride, but he pushed it aside and let himself release as quickly as the urge came upon him.

When he had recovered, he pulled out of her and muttered the cleaning charm beneath his breath. He summoned a robe for each of them, and helped her sit up and cover herself. Her braided hair had loosened, and her face was flushed. She looked unsure of herself. Lucius sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at her.

"Are you ok?" He asked again, and this time he wasn't speaking of her physical well being.

Another tear, the second of the morning, rolled down her cheek. "I think so."

"Did I hurt you?"

Ginevra shook her head. "You were gentle." She looked up at him, and he saw how tired she was. He remembered that she had hardly slept the night before.

"Here, drink this." he handed her a dreamless sleep potion. "I'll wake you nearer to dinner time."

She took it gratefully, and within ten minutes, she was fast asleep in his bed.

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	22. Chapter 22

**Dear Readers,**

** I couldn't sleep without getting this chapter out of my system. So I did. I apologize for the terrible lack of Hermione and Sirius...the next chapter will see their return. Also, for those of you who were pleased with the sudden changes in Lucius last chapter, this is your warning. Any change is a long time in coming. Human beings are creatures of habit, and even after the most dramatic of convictions, we will return to our old selves. True change is progressive.**

** Littlekat1010**

The rest of the week seemed to creep by for Ginny. She spent most of her days in the library, or exploring the grounds until she new every inch of them by heart. And when she tired of reading, or of walking, she thought. And when her thoughts begin to scare her, she went back to the library.

Lucius hadn't touched her again. He'd barely spoken to her since that morning. He seemed content to simply let her be, as long as she lived within his guidelines. She spent each night in her bedroom, sometimes gratefully waking from vivid nightmares, and sometimes regretfully waking from beautiful dreams. Neither one included Lucius.

Friday came, and after dinner Lucius led her up to his bedroom. He was just as gentle, if not quite as slow moving, as he had been on Tuesday. They did their duty, he found his satisfaction, and then he left to finish some paperwork. He never sent her out of his room, but she always left.

The next week passed in much the same way. Monday they did their duty. Tuesday and Wednesday Ginny spend in Diagon Alley with Luna. Thursday she spent in the library. And Friday she waited until after dinner, when Lucius once again led her to his room. Afterwords, he left to pay a visit to Severus.

And Ginny went back to her room.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

"But what does that mean?" Severus asked again.

"It means exactly what it sounds like. Things with Ginevra are going smoothly. There is no play on words here, Severus." Lucius was beyond exasperated. It had been nearly four weeks since Severus had brought up marriage, and Lucius had thought that perhaps things could go back to the way they had been before this blasted law had been passed. But Severus had brought it up this morning, and they were back at it.

"But what does that mean?"

"Damn it, Severus, if you ask me that one more bloody time, I'll wring your pale neck!"

Severus grinned. "Language, Lucius, language. Have a drink."

Lucius obliged, glaring at his friend as he poured the brandy, which he downed in one gulp.

"Has anyone ever told you, Severus, that you are an insufferable busy body?"  
Severus shrugged his shoulders. "No, as a matter of fact. It's a trait that is brought out only by you, Lucius. With everyone else I mind my own business." He reclined back into his chair, raising an eyebrow pointedly. Clearly he wasn't going to let the matter drop.

"Things are quiet, Severus. There have been no arguments, no incidents. I mind my business, and she minds hers. We both seem to have grasped that concept, unlike some other people I know."

Severus ignored the pointed remark. "And when it is time to do your duty?"

Lucius shrugged. "Then we do it. There has been no drama since the day after the Potter wedding, and she is sufficiently accustomed now, so there has been no discomfort for her in some time."

"And no pleasure?" Severus asked delicately.

Lucius shrugged again. "I am always gentle with her, I do my best to arouse her sufficiently. But no, she never comes to satisfaction. And to be honest, mine is not much worth speaking of. I never prolong the issue, for her sake, and she seems grateful enough to have it over with. It is a thing of convenience, and that is all it will be."

"That is not enough to sustain a marriage, Lucius."

Lucius gave a short bark of laughter. "You speak as though the sustenance of this marriage is a choice, Severus. Even if things between us came to the worst, we could not end it if we wanted to. We are doing our duty, and she is not in pain. That is what matters."

Severus did not comment, and Lucius knew from his silence that he disagreed. But as long as things continued to go so smoothly, Lucius had no desire to affect change on his marriage.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGL

Severus' words stayed with Lucius for the rest of the day, and as a result, he was rather irritable when it came to dinner time. When Ginevra did not enter the dining hall at 7 o'clock, he was peeved. At ten minutes past, his growling stomach pushed him to annoyed. And when the girl finally appeared at 7:25, flushed and breathless, he was simply angry.

"I'm sorry I'm late." she breathed out. "Ron and I went to Harry's house, and I lost track of time."

"I'm glad you decided it was worth your time to show up. Perhaps I should buy you a muggle time piece so that I don't have to wait nearly half an hour for my dinner." His voice held a dangerous chill that put Ginevra on the defensive.

The girl sat down at her place, and jutted her chin out. "If you were that hungry you could have started without me. It's not as though I cook your dinner."

Lucius raised his eyebrows. "Perhaps your blood traitor family did not teach you the rules of common decency, Ginevra. It is impolite to begin dinner without an expected guest. Just as it is impolite to be 25 minutes late to said dinner."

Ginevra's face reddened in anger, standing from her chair in defiance. "I said I was sorry! I lost track of time."

"Stupidity is not an excuse for a lack of decency. Perhaps Hogwarts should offer etiquette classes for those students' whose education is lacking at home." His tone was infuriatingly calm and condescending.

"And what would they teach the purebloods? Murder for beginners?"

Lucius grew very still. "Do not say another word, Ginevra." He stood from his own seat, towering over her.

But she was too infuriated. He had insulted her, and her entire family. "What are you going to do, rape me? What would that make me, number 12? 13?"

The moment the words left her mouth, she knew that she had gone too far. Lucius raised his hand, and before she could speak, the back of it caught her across the cheek. She stumbled back, the pain bringing tears to her eyes.

Lucius advanced on her, raising his hand again. She turned away, preparing for the blow, but it never came. When she dared to look at him, his back was to her, and she could see that his breathing was labored.

"Get out. Now." His voice was so low she almost didn't hear him. She hesitated. "Now!" Ginny fled to the safety of her room, locking the door behind her.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius paced his study for several minutes before he was calm enough to sit. He had struck her. He had never struck a woman like that, not Narcissa, or even the women he had forced himself on during his years under the Dark Lord. He had never needed to.

But one month with this girl in the house, and he had back handed her.

"Lula!" He barked. The house elf appeared.

"Yes, Master Lucius?"  
"Mrs Malfoy is in her room. Please see that she is tended to."

The house elf disappeared without question. The girl would be fine, Lucius had no doubt of that. He had enough sense not to hit her with all of his strength. If he had lost all control, she would no doubt be unconscious. As it was, she was likely to have a colorful bruise by morning.

He knew he had goaded her. His mood had been foul long before she was late for dinner. No doubt he had started the fight. But for her to bring that up...she was well aware of his past, and only because of his honesty with her after the Potter wedding. Any person should have enough sense not to raise a Death Eater's past in an argument. This girl had a knack for pushing all the wrong buttons with Lucius, and it was hazardous to both of them.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginevra heard the lock on her bedroom door click before the door opened. She instinctively shrank back onto her bed, clutching the ice pack Lula had provided to her cheek. Lucius entered the room and shut the door behind him. He rarely invaded her private space, and when he did, it rarely ended well.

He stood at the door, his intimidating frame seemed somehow taller than usual. He crossed to the bed and sat on the edge. He pulled the hand that held the ice away from her face, and tilted her chin toward the light so he could examine the swollen cheek. She flinched as he raised his wand to the sore spot, but in another moment the pain faded, and she felt the swelling rapidly receding. Ginevra felt the need to break the silence.

"I shouldn't have said those things, Mr. Malfoy. I was just angry, and I – I lost control."

Lucius tucked his wand back into his robes. He didn't miss her use of his surname. "No, Ginevra, you should not have." He met her eyes. "And I should not have struck you, whatever you said.

However, for your sake, I would ask that you not bring that subject up again. I pride myself on my self- control, but I can only be pushed so far."

Ginevra nodded.

Lucius stood. "It is Monday evening, Ginevra. I will see you in my room in twenty minutes."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

The girl was particularly unresponsive that night, no doubt as a result of the argument, and Lucius made quick work of the encounter. When she had gone, he went into his bathroom, poured himself a glass of scotch, and drew a steaming hot bath to soak away the stress of the evening. The series of short, passionless, sexual encounters left Lucius unsatisfied, tense, and strangely exhausted. He sunk down into the water, letting himself relax. Tonight, he would take a dreamless sleep potion. Then perhaps tomorrow he would be in a better frame of mind to deal with the girl.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius was pulled from his blissfully dreamless sleep by a frantic Lula. Instinctively, he grabbed his wand and magically lit the room so he could see what was going on.

"Merlin, Lula, what the bloody hell is worth waking me over?"

The house elf was blubbering so badly that Lucius could hardly understand her. "It's Mrs. Malfoy, sir. She's screaming, and screaming in her sleep, and Lula tries to wake her, but she won't wake. Her eyes is open, but she is not awake! Please come help sir, she is screaming and screaming!"

Lucius cursed under his breath and swung his feet onto the cold floor, tying his robe around him before he strode down the hall to her room, Lula blubbering behind him. He stopped at her door and listened. It was silent. He looked down at the little elf, still clearly upset, and opened the door.

The minute he did, the screams filled his ears. Ginevra was sitting straight up in bed, eyes wide open, tears running down her cheeks. Her red hair was loose and frizzy around her face, and she pleaded with an unknown person.

"Please, please don't make me do it. I can't! I can't do it! Don't hurt me, please don't hurt me!"

Lucius sat on the bed and grasped the frantic girl by the shoulders. "Wake up, Ginevra. You are dreaming. Wake up!" He shook her insistently, but the sobs continued. Her next words nearly turned his blood cold. "Please, Tom, don't hurt me. Don't make me do it!"

Lucius slapped her across the face for the second time that day, this time only hard enough to shock her from her dream. To his relief, it worked. The girl seemed startled to see him at first, and then relieved to be out of her nightmare. She slumped against him, her screams quieting into sobs, and then into silent tears. Lucius held her as she cried into his chest, not certain that she aware who was comforting her. All she seemed to crave was the contact.

When she was done, she sat up, wiping the last of her tears from her eyes, and averting her face from him.

"How did you know?" She asked quietly.

"Lula woke me. House elves are immune to silencing charms."

The girl reddened. "I didn't mean to disturb you. Thank you for waking me." She clearly expected him to leave, but he wasn't finished.

"How often does this happen?" he questioned

Ginny shrugged. "Once every few months. But it's been more often, lately."

"Are they always about him?" Lucius spoke quietly.

The girl paled. "What did I say?"

Lucius stared at her intently. "You said enough. Answer my question."

She looked away, once more on the verge of tears. "Yes. They are always about him."

Lucius stood. "Will you sleep any more tonight?"

Ginevra shook her head. She never could after a night terror.

"Then what do you say to a drink?"

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

It was the library he took her to. It had become their neutral ground, where they went if they were forced to communicate about something of importance. Lucius poured them both gin, and to his surprise, the girl drank hers at once. It was the first time she had touched any of the alcohol he had offered her. He refilled her glass, and sat down across from her.

"Why did you put a silencing charm on your door?" He asked quietly. "Wouldn't you rather be woken from the nightmare?"

The girl let out a caustic laugh. "You are the last person I wanted to know about this. I wake from them on my own eventually."

There was silence as they drank, but Lucius could see that the girl wanted to speak. He could guess what it concerned. He downed the rest of his gin, and poured another.

"Say it." He prepared himself for the verbal onslaught. He would not lose control. This one he deserved.

But she only asked, "Did you know what it was?"

He shook his head. "Did I know that it contained the soul of the darkest wizard ever to live? No. But I knew that whatever it was, it was evil. I knew that it could harm you. I was hoping, at the time, that it would be found in your house and seized by the Ministry. It was supposed to be revenge for the raids your father had led against my estates." He sighed. If he could, he would take back the actions that had caused so much emotional scarring on the young mind sitting before him. He too, had faced dire consequences because of that book. His master had been less than pleased to find it destroyed upon his return.

He stood. "Come, Ginevra. We are going to visit Severus."

The girl looked at him in surprise. "Won't he be sleeping?"

Lucius smirked. "Even better."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Severus was less than pleased when his floo alarm sounded at three in the morning. There was only one person with that kind of gall.

"Damn you Lucius, what the devil -" He cut off abruptly when he saw Ginevra standing behind Lucius.

"Mrs Malfoy, this is unexpected."

Lucius grinned. "Severus, still in bed at this late hour? How slovenly of you."

Severus glared at his friend. "This had better be important."

Lucius sobered, and nodded. "Ginevra has been suffering from night terrors for some time. I was wondering if there is a non addictive substance she can take to ward them off."

Severus glanced sharply at Ginny. "There may be, but I'll need to learn more about them." Lucius gave Ginevra a gentle prod toward the potions master.

"Answer his questions, Ginevra. If anyone can help, it is he."

Severus didn't protest. Lucius spoke truly. "It will take several hours to get what I need, Lucius. I will return Mrs. Malfoy to the Manor before dawn."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny winced as Snape pricked her finger and let the tiny droplets of blood fall into the cauldron. They had been working for over an hour, beginning the brewing of a twist on the Dreamless Sleep potion. Severus had explained that for some witches and wizards, adding personal genetics to the potion counteracted the addictive effects. They wouldn't know if it worked for Ginny until the potion was completed.

Ginny had been pleasantly surprised by Snape all morning. He had kept the conversation easy and light, pausing when he needed to focus on the brewing process.

"And how is married life, Mrs. Malfoy?"

Ginny didn't answer immediately. Snape touched just the tip of her mind with his own, so light that all he could grasp were her emotions. She was unaware of the contact.

"You are afraid of him." He spoke the words gently, and watched as she blushed furiously, sudden tears coming into her eyes.

"And you are ashamed of that fear."

The girl fiddled with the coffee cup in her hands. "I'm weak. Weaker than I thought I was."

Severus moved to stir the potion, counting the strokes silently to himself. "I have known Lucius Malfoy a very long time, Ginevra. There is no one on this earth who knows him better. I have seen accomplished wizards, fully grown men, groveling in fear before him. Not one of them had spent an entire month in his house. You are not weak."

Ginny gave her former professor a little smile. "That is supposed to comfort me?" She asked, unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

"It was merely the truth, Ginevra. What you do with it is entirely up to you."

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	23. Chapter 23

"Hermione!" Severus barked impatiently after repeating a question four times to the distracted girl.

She flushed and apologized. "I'm sorry, Severus. I don't know where my focus is."

Severus looked concerned. This was extremely out of character for his apprentice. "Is everything ok at home, Hermione?"  
She gave him a little smile. "Oh yes, it's fine. I'm just tired, I guess."

Severus was not convinced, but he let it slide. "Have a damn cup of coffee, then, because I need to get these potions to Madame Pomfrey by the end of the day." He covered up his concern for the girl with annoyance, and pointed to a cauldron. "Finish up that calming drought, and for Merlin's sake, stay focused!"

He watched as she meekly took her place in front of the fire. Severus had no doubt that there was something going on. Last week she had ruined an entire batch of a very expensive potion, and when he'd tested her on the new techniques she'd been learning, she'd hardly remembered anything at all. He was unsure of how far he could question her. Although he cared deeply for the girl's well being, their relationship was mainly academic. Severus wasn't certain that she would open up to him about something as intimate as her marriage. He scowled at the thought of Sirius Black's hands on her. He would have to bide his time, to find out what had distressed his protege'.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Hermione was exhausted by the time she returned home. She wanted nothing more than to take a long bath and fall into bed. But it was Friday, and she and Sirius had not fulfilled any of the requirements for the week. So bath, then sex, then bed.

Not that sex with Sirius was bad. In fact, Hermione enjoyed it more often than not. Sirius was always considerate, and he made certain that Hermione had her fill of pleasure every time. He was an experienced, handsome man, and he'd guided her through several new experiences that she'd thoroughly enjoyed.

But while she found herself physically sated after the fact, emotionally there was something missing. Sirius was a good man, there was no doubt about that. But he and Hermione had about as much in common as Snape and Professor Trelawney. The first week, they had tried to talk. They had tried to find common ground. But when they had both exhausted topics of interest to them, and found that none of them were shared by the other person, they stopped talking.

There was occasional small talk, morning chatter, and good nights. And there was, of course, the talk that went along with the sex. But nothing else.

Hermione was uncertain of what to do. She wanted to make it better; after all, they were going to be married for a very, very long time. And so the second week, she tried again. But by the end of five days, she was tired of always initiating. She was tired of taking the lead. What she craved was a man who would take control of the situation, initiate conversation, even initiate the sex. She was well aware that this was completely out of Sirius's personality. He had a good heart, but he was easy going, almost lazy, and seemed content to wait until Hermione sought him out to fulfill their quota. Control meant responsibility, and that was one thing Sirius tended to avoid. Even in the bedroom, he seemed to enjoy himself most when she played the aggressive role.

So their relationship continued, not filled with conflict, but devoid of any passion. Hermione felt herself becoming more and more lonely every day. Her friends were all busy trying to work out their new relationships, and she didn't feel right burdening them with her petty worries. She and Ginny hadn't seen each other for almost a month. Ginny probably thought Hermione was still angry with her. She found herself leaving earlier for Severus's, and staying later to help him. When she was with him, she felt like herself again, mostly. She began to crave his conversation, the conversation of a true intellect. And when she came home at night, she spent her time wishing that morning would come again.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny stepped out of the shower Monday morning and practically jumped out of her skin in surprise to see Lucius Malfoy standing before her. She slipped on the wet floor, and would have landed on her rear end if he had not caught her arm and steadied her. She blushed as she pulled away from him, and wrapped a towel around her naked body, ignoring the amused look on his face. She knew that modesty at this point was a little ridiculous, but she couldn't accustom herself to being naked in front of him. Twice a week was enough.

"Is there a reason you didn't knock?" She asked, annoyed at the smirk on his face.

"I did. You didn't answer. I imagine it was difficult to hear me over your little performance."

Ginny reddened further. She habitually sang in the shower.

"What do you want?" She asked sharply. Things between them had been more than a little tense since the incident at breakfast a week ago.

Lucius raised his eyebrow at her tone, but let it go. "I'm afraid I'm playing messenger this morning. Your mudblood friend poked her head through my fireplace about 20 minutes ago. She asked you to meet her in Diagon Alley in about an hour." His distaste for both Hermione and for the task of delivering the message was clear in his voice, but Ginny didn't care. Her face broke into a smile.

"I guess I should get ready to go, then." She said, resisting the urge to jump up and down in excitement. She had missed her friend more than words could tell. The thought of once again having someone to confide in was unbelievably exhilarating.

Lucius turned to go. "Don't be late for dinner, Ginevra."

But not even his condescending tone could break Ginny's spirit, not when she was going to see Hermione.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Hermione hugged Ginny so tight that it knocked the wind out of her, and made it very difficult to breathe. But Ginny didn't care. She had her best friend back. They broke apart, laughing breathlessly.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry."

"No, Ginny, let me go first." Hermione's face grew solemn. "I'm sorry that I was so cold to you. I've been wanting to apologize for weeks, but I was afraid you would be angry. I was upset over the law, and I needed someone to blame. Instead of focusing my anger on the Ministry and the people responsible, I blamed you. I'm so sorry."

Ginny shook her head. "It's nothing, Hermione. I should have told you. I was just worried that it might make you more nervous. I wanted things to go better for you."

Hermione smiled a little. "You were right. I would have been a wreck."

The girls laughed in relief. Their fight was over.

"So...shopping?" Ginny smiled at Hermione. They linked arms, and headed up Diagon Alley, chatting a mile a minutes as they walked.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

"You're kidding. Merlin, Ginny, I had no idea." Hermione shook her head as Ginny finished catching her up on the last month and a half of marriage. The two girls sat in a corner booth of a little cafe at the ritzier end of the Alley. If there was one thing that could be said for Lucius, he had excellent taste in restaurants. He and Ginny had eaten at the cafe the day that he took her shopping.

Ginny wiped her mouth, and took a long drink of her water. "It's gotten better, Hermione, really it has."

Hermione gave Ginny a disbelieving look. "And what about...you know. Is it horrible?"

Ginny reddened a little. "It was at first, but that's gotten better too. We've fallen into a pattern of sorts, and he never hurts me. It's not pleasurable, but it's not painful anymore either."

"You're unhappy, Ginny. I know you."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "And I know you, Hermione. Just because you are married to a good man doesn't mean you are happy either."

Hermione shook her head. "I have nothing to complain about, really."

"Don't compare our situations, Hermione. Knowing that mine is worse doesn't make yours any easier to bear." Ginny took another bite of her sandwich. "Now, tell me about your apprenticeship. How's that going?"

Hermione's face lit up. "Merlin, Ginny, it's the bright spot in my day! Severus is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. I'm afraid I've been less than focused lately, but he's been so patient."

Ginny looked skeptical.

"Well," Hermione corrected "Patient for him, at least."

"Merlin, Hermione, you sound like you have a crush on the dungeon bat." Ginny was completely joking, but she didn't miss Hermione's blush.

"Stop it, Ginny. That's ridicu – Gin, isn't that Lucius?"

Ginny turned around in the booth to where Hermione was looking. Sure enough, there was his unmistakeably white hair and perfect posture, sitting on a stool at the bar.

"Is he following me?" She whispered to Hermione.

Hermione shook her head. "I'm sure he's just here for lunch, Gin. Maybe he's meeting someone."

Hermione was right. Just as the words left her mouth, a young woman entered the cafe. She was tall, blonde, and leggy, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit jacked and skirt that showed off her toned legs. Lucius stood to greet her, kissing her on each cheek. They spoke for several minutes before he wrapped an arm around her waist, and they left together.

Hermione and Ginny sat in silence for a long time.

"Ginny, I'm sure it wasn't – "

"Don't, Hermione. I can't think about it right now." She felt utterly humiliated.

Hermione nodded and stood from the booth. "Come on. New shoes will help you forget."


	24. Chapter 24

When Lucius entered the dining room for dinner, he was surprised to see Ginevra waiting for him. It was only ten to seven.

"You're early. How refreshing." The comment was dry, but not unkind. He had had a most productive day, and was feeling stress free for the first time in several weeks.

The girl did not respond. Lucius noticed that she looked flushed. "Are you unwell?"

Again, no answer.

He shrugged, and began in on the salad course. He was half way through when the girl spoke.

"How dare you."

Lucius wiped his mouth and set his fork back on his plate before answering. If this was going to be an argument, he needed to keep his composure about him.

"I'm afraid I'll need a little more information, Ginevra."

The girl looked at him, and he saw the sparks of anger in her eyes, but when she spoke, her voice was low. "I saw you, today, in Diagon Alley."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "I don't recall seeing you."

Ginny scowled. "I imagine you were too focused on other things to notice me."

Lucius sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Enough, Ginevra. Tell me what has upset you, or eat your dinner."

Ginny shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't ask for this marriage. And I've done my best to make things easy. I stay out of your way, I do my part. I didn't deserve this humiliation."

Lucius was getting frustrated. "Bloody hell, girl, what are you talking about?"

Ginevra raised her voice. "I saw you! I saw you in the cafe with that woman! Tall, blonde...does that ring a bell? Hermione and I were eating lunch, and we saw you!" She dropped her head into her hands, to hide the tears of anger and shame that were flowing freely now.

"What are you accusing me of, Ginevra?" Lucius' voice was very, very quiet.

She didn't even acknowledge the question. "Is twice a week not enough?" She asked him bitterly. "Am I that unsatisfying?"

The question dripped with sarcasm, but Lucius answered with utter honesty. "It is not the frequency of the act that leaves me unsatisfied, Ginevra."

"You admit it, then." Ginny's voice rose with anger.

"Yes." Lucius spat out. "Yes, I admit that I am unsatisfied when we are done fulfilling our _duty._ But I have not sought satisfaction elsewhere, however sorely I have been tempted."

"You had your arm around her waist!"

"Calissa is my goddaughter, you stupid girl! You dare to accuse me of betraying my honor! A Malfoy does not break his vows, even a vow he was forced into!" He was standing now, leaning over her as he spewed the words into her face.

There was a long silence as Ginny registered this information. When she spoke, her voice was choked with humiliation. "And what about me leaves you unsatisfied, Lucius?"

Lucius surveyed the girl with cold eyes. He was past caring for her feelings. "How satisfying do you think it is, fucking a girl who hates me? Who is as fragile as glass in my bed?" The words were spoken harshly, and he saw the girl wince at his language."

"And what would it take, for me to please you?" Ginevra whispered through her tears

Lucius shook his head. "You don't really want the answer to that question." He was quite certain that it would terrify her.

Ginevra considered what he had said. Maybe she would be better off in ignorance. Maybe the truth would be horrible, painful. But at least then she would know who she was married to. That had to be better than this.

She stood, and crossed to his chair, trying her hardest not show how afraid she was. "Show me." She spoke hoarsely.

Lucius smirked down at her. They were toe to toe, and he seemed more intimidating than ever. "You're certain?"

Ginevra thought her courage might fail her if he asked again. "I'm certain."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius pushed the girl against the dining room wall, crushing her lips with his own. If she was fragile, as he believed, he would shatter her tonight. He found himself not caring. She had asked for this. He had warned her. Perhaps it was time she knew whom she had married.

His mouth devoured hers, possessive, angry. He was angry with her, for her accusations. He was angry with the ministry, for forcing them into this. And he was angry with himself, for finding pleasure in this kiss. She pushed against his chest, but he grasped her wrists and brought them up above her head, holding them there with an iron grip. When he released them, and she lowered her arms, he slammed them back up against the wall. He heard the whimper of fear, felt her trembling beneath him. This time, when he released her wrists, she kept them up. His teeth caught her bottom lip in a cruel bite, drawing another moan of pain from her.

His strong hands grasped her thighs and lifted her so that she was straddling him, his body pinning her to the wall. He slid his hands beneath her shirt and bra. His motions were rough, but not clumsy. He pinched a nipple, twisting it cruelly, reveling in her gasp of pain. His mouth found hers again, with enough force to bruise her lips. She submitted to his aggression, letting him explore every part of her mouth with his tongue.

He brought his hands down to her thighs, pulling her skirt up around her waist. He pulled her underwear aside and plunged his fingers roughly into her. She was soaking wet. He moved his fingers inside of her, flicking her clitoris hard with his thumb. She shuddered in unwanted pleasure.

"Slut." He growled into her ear, and pulled his hand away, releasing her from the wall. He pushed her forward, bending her over the table and pushing her skirt up. It was no problem at all to rip the expensive, delicate lace panties off of her. He unbutton his pants, and without warning, plunged into her in one thrust. He gave her no time to catch her breath before he started moving, pulling almost all the way out before thrusting back into her hard. She gasped with each thrust. He reached one hand down and rubbed her furiously. He could feel her breathing quicken, watched her eyes widen as an unfamiliar feeling welled up inside of her. He rubbed harder, and she suddenly gasped, throwing her head into the air, her body shuddering in ecstasy. He kept rubbing until she was writhing from over stimulation. But he wasn't finished. He had no intention of getting this over with quickly. He wanted to enjoy it.

He grasped her hips and thrust harder, drawing moans from the girl beneath him. He didn't know if they were of pain or pleasure. He didn't care. Only when he could hold on no longer did he let himself go, seeing colors as his pleasure came over him, sating him for the first time in months.

He stilled, catching his breath, then muttered the cleaning charm and pulling out of her. The moment he released her, she fled the room.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Lucius sighed, buttoning his pants as he let Ginevra go. He would give her time to compose herself, before he followed her. Perhaps he had been too rough, although her arousal suggested otherwise. She had clearly enjoyed it on some level. He sat back down at the table, and finished his dinner. When he was done, he made his way upstairs, letting himself into her room without knocking.

He could hear the shower running in the bathroom, so he went in. "Ginevra?" There was no answer. He pulled the shower curtain aside, and found the girl sitting on the floor, steaming water running over her body, knees pulled close to her chest. Without a word, he turned the water off, letting her sit where she was, and wrapped a huge fluffy towel around her shoulders to stop the shivering. She didn't look at him. Her face was flushed, partially from the heat of the shower, but more so from the embarrassment she felt with him there.

"Are you hurt?" He asked her. There was no answer. She didn't even seem to hear him.

"Lula!" The house elf appeared. "Fetch Severus for me, please. Ask him to bring a calming potion."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

By the time Severus arrived, Lucius had the girl wrapped in a robe, sitting on her bed. Lucius knew that she could hear him. Physically she was fine – he had checked her over to be sure. There was a bruise or two forming on her back from the wall, and her lips were swollen. Nothing serious. But she wouldn't look at him, wouldn't answer his questions.

Lucius met Severus outside the girl's door. "Lucius, what happened?"

Lucius closed his eyes, wishing he didn't have to explain this to his friend. "Things got...rough. I was overly aggressive. Physically, she's fine, Severus. But she seems in shock. She won't even look at me."

Severus glared at his friend, and pushed past him to Ginevra's door. "Go get yourself a drink, Lucius. I'll deal with you when I'm done tending to your wife."

Lucius nodded, grateful to leave his bride in capable hands.

Severus opened the door, and saw Ginevra sitting on the bed, wet hair a mess around her shoulders, tears running down her face. He approached her slowly.

"Ginevra? I want you to take this." He held out a calming potion, but she shook her head.

"I'm fine, Severus, truly. I don't need potions."

"Your husband suggested otherwise." She stiffened at his words.

Severus pulled the girl's chin toward him. "Tell me what happened, Ginny."

She shook her head, and pursed her lips.

"Did he hurt you?" She hesitated, then shook her head again.

"That's convincing." Severus said dryly.

He held her eyes with his. "Legilimens" He murmered.

It didn't take him long to find the memory he needed. It was playing through Ginny's head over and over. He saw Lucius and Calissa at the cafe, watched Ginny's angry accusations, and then Lucius' aggressive kiss. He nearly pulled out of her mind there, thinking that he could guess the rest of the story, when he grasped an unexpected feeling from her. _Desire._ The further into the memory he probed, the stronger the feeling became. He released her mind, astonished.

"You enjoyed it." The quiet statement sent her into a new bout of tears, and this time, when he held out the potion, she drank it without resistance. It was several minutes before she had calmed enough for Severus to speak again.

"Ginevra, there is no shame is finding pleasure at your husband's hands."

She turned pink, shaking her head in humiliation. "Not like that. Of all the things to – to do _that_ to me...what kind of girl likes that?"

Severus was amused by her innocence, but he refrained from showing it. "More girls than you might guess, my dear. There is nothing wrong with you."

"There has to be." She whispered hoarsely.

"No, there does not." His voice was firm. "There is nothing dirty or twisted about this, Ginny. Some people have different tastes." He did not mention the fact that there was no one quite as proficient as Lucius Malfoy in fulfilling such tastes. Besides, perhaps, himself.

He stood from the bedside and looked at her intently. "Talk to him, Ginevra. Promise me."

She nodded reluctantly, and Severus, satisfied that he had done enough, left to find Lucius.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

When Severus had thoroughly berated Lucius for taking things so far, ("If she were more comfortable with you, she wouldn't have felt so humiliated by her own pleasure!") and when Lucius had thoroughly berated Severus for invading his wife's mind, (If you need something erotic to watch, Severus, there are plenty of legitimate choices that don't include me!) Severus left, and Lucius returned to find the girl. She was still in her robe, although her hair had been brushed and braided. He sat down on the edge of her bed, watching her avoid his eyes.

"Look at me, Ginevra." She obeyed, her eyes glistening with tears. "I should never have pushed you so far. I apologize."

She shook her head. "That isn't why I ran. I – " She couldn't quite bring herself to admit her pleasure to him.

"I know." he smirked a little. "Believe me when I say that your reaction was quite unexpected."

She averted her eyes again, and he caught her chin. "Unexpected, Ginevra. Not unwelcome, and certainly nothing to be ashamed of."

She looked up at him, and he was reminded again of her youth and vulnerability. "So what happens now?"

He sighed. "That is up to you." He surveyed her intensely. She looked taken aback by that.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Clearly you discovered a side of yourself tonight that you were previously unaware of. Whether or not you decide to explore that with me is your choice alone."

She looked at him, not entirely certain she understood what he was saying.

"Who else could there be?" She asked. Surely he wasn't suggesting that she be unfaithful to him, not after his adamant declarations about his own loyalties.

"This law will not last forever, Ginevra." He was surprised that she had not considered this before. "It is too radical. I would guess that it will be overthrown before the end of the year."

"So if I choose to wait, things would go back to the way they were? Mondays and Fridays, business as usual?" She found that hard to believe. There had been a dynamic altered between them, and it didn't seem that easy to ignore. Lucius only inclined his head.

"And if I want to explore this now?"

His gaze was intense. "It would be no chore for me to assist, I assure you."

Ginny nodded slowly, suddenly tired from all of the emotion and drama of the day. Lucius stood. "Think it over, Ginevra. Choose wisely. When you are ready to discuss it, I will be in the library."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny fell asleep, and woke nearly an hour and half later. She hadn't meant to sleep, but she felt better already. She had made her decision, and for the first time since her marriage to Lucius, she knew what she wanted.

She didn't bother dressing before padding through the halls to the library. The thick robe was as modest as any of her clothes. She made her way to the back of the enormous room, to find Lucius reading in his normal chair. He looked up when he heard her enter.

"You look better." He said quietly.

"Thank you. I feel better."

There was a long, awkward silence. Lucius was determined not to broach the subject, and Ginny was unsure of how to bring it up.

"I'm not certain what happened to me, today." She said, uncertain if this was the best way to begin.

Lucius raised his eyebrows ironically. "It was called an orgasm, my dear." He took pleasure in watching her blush.

"No, I didn't mean that. I meant...the rest of it. The whole scenario should have terrified me."

Lucius closed his book and looked at her. "It did terrify you. I could see it in your face."

Ginny thought for a moment, then said honestly. "I didn't know you were paying any attention to my face."

Lucius didn't comment on that. For a man with Lucius' sexual preferences, being able to read a partner's face and body language was essential to their well being.

"I noticed. I also noticed that you were trembling in fear. And that you cried when I entered you,." She blushed redder. "And I admit that I am enjoying watching you blush."

"Sadist." She shot back, the sharp tone stemming from her embarrassment.

_You have no idea._ But he didn't say it aloud.

"I don't want things to go back to the way they were."

Lucius could practically feel the relief wash over him. Her trembling, responsive body beneath him had brought back a side of him he had been quenching for some time. Quenching it a second time would have been unpleasant for them both.

"I'm afraid." The admittance did not come easily to her lips, nor was it news to him.

He smirked, raising his glass of scotch in a toast to her. "That, my dear girl, is very much the point."

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	25. Chapter 25

**Dear Readers,**

** A year. That's how long it has been. So for those of you who have recently reviewed or sent me a PM (lovingly) chastising me for my unforgivable delay, thank you. This chapter has been half finished for about 11 months. Real deadlines get in the way of my "guilty pleasure" writing, and as much as I wanted to continue, I had trouble finding the time or motivation. But this chapter (as short and uneventful as it is) has me rolling again, and new chapters will follow shortly. Thank you for sticking with this through the long, frequent breaks. **

** Littlekat1010**

It could be considered miraculous for a couple, forced together by law, separated by age and politics, to find common ground. Lucius brooded over this, forgetting about the book of essays that now rested on his lap. The girl, emotionally and physically exhausted from the day, had retired more than an hour ago, but Lucius was more energized than he had been in months. And, of course, Severus would want an explanation.

Lucius was a confident man. He knew who he was and what he wanted. He held no delusions about his faults; he simply chose to accept them, rather than bother with changing them. He was intelligent, held a good social status, and could even be charismatic when he chose. But when it came to relationships, Lucius was comfortable in only one role. It was a role Ginevra Malfoy had seen only a small piece of, and if she knew the extent of it, it was a role she would certainly reject. She would not be the first.

In the early days of his arranged marriage to Narcissa, Lucius had been often frustrated by their frequent clash of wills. Narcissa was a proud woman, raised as Lucius had been to believe her blood pure and superior. Compromise was not a strong point for either of them. But those battle had been more even footed. She was his age, and they at least had shared core beliefs. Their arguments had been laced with sexual tension and mutual respect. Of course, twenty years under the Dark Lord had only added bitterness, distrust, and regret to his character, leaving him far more jaded for his second wife than he had been for his first. Ginevra was certainly no Narcissa

When Severus stepped out of the library fireplace not twenty minutes later, Lucius was not the least bit surprised. His face was solemn as he made himself comfortable in the chair across from Lucius. "What happened?"

Lucius closed his eyes. He had asked Severus to help him, and so he owed his friend an explanation. "We argued. She saw me with Calista, and drew the wrong conclusions. I – I was angry, offended that she would expect me to break a vow."

Severus rose and poured Lucius a drink. "How did you end up with her up against the wall?""

Lucius shot the potions master a dark look. He had forgotten that Severus had taken the liberties of reading Ginevra's mind. "I don't exactly know. She accused me of be unsatisfied with her, a fact I did not contest. And then I wanted her to know. I wanted her to see me, _truly_ see me. I thought it would disgust her, make her hate me more, cause her to be terrified of me, and I found myself not caring." He took an inappropriately large swig of his whiskey. "I wasn't out of control, though, Severus. I wish I could say that I had been, but I knew exactly what I was doing. I knew how much I was hurting her."

Severus grimaced. "Be thankful you didn't let your anger best your control, Lucius. You could have seriously hurt her."

Lucius nodded, taking the offhanded chastisement gratefully. He had expected Severus to thoroughly berate him – he wouldn't have been surprised if the man had sent a minor hex or two his way. And he would have deserved them.

"And her reaction?" Severus prodded gently.

" – was arousal." Lucius shook his head. "That was a shock, but a welcome one."

"So what now?"

A small smile lit Lucius' face. "We talked. She is – intrigued, and willing to explore. I have business in France, unfortunately, but when I return we will talk about it again."

Severus sighed. "It was an unfortunate event, Lucius, but I am glad some good came out of it." He stood to leave. "I'll let you get some rest." He hesitated before stepping into the fire. "Don't rush, Lucius." With a shout, the green flames carried him home.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny was awakened the next morning by a knock on her door. A glance at the magical time piece next to her bed informed her that she had overslept several hours, and completely missed breakfast. She groaned softly, dreading Lucius's anger for missing yet another meal. She sat up in bed, pushing her disheveled hair away from her face.

"Come in." She called softly, although she wanted nothing more than for him to go away.

Lucius entered, closing the door behind him, and crossing to the bedside chair.

"I'm sorry I overslept, Mr. Malfoy. Lula usually makes sure I'm up, but -"

Lucius cut her off. "I told Lula to let you sleep, Ginevra, so you may stop trying to apologize."

Ginny felt relief wash over her. He wasn't angry. So why was he in her bedroom?

"I am going to be out of town for the next few days, Ginevra. I have business in Paris, but it shouldn't take me too long."

Ginny let his words sink in. "But what about -?"

"I will be back in plenty of time to make our quota. And when I return, we can continue our conversation from last night."

Ginny could feel her face reddening. As hopeful as she had felt last night about the situation, she was embarrassed at the thought of discussing _it. _Lucius leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees.

"We cannot proceed without talking first, Ginevra. There are things I need to know, details we need to hash out. There is no need for you to be shy about it."

His tone was uncharacteristically gentle, and Ginny wondered if he was actually sincere in his attempt to reassure her. She nodded silently in response.

"I've left you a magically signed note of consent for Gringotts, so if you need funds for anything, you may withdraw them. Lula will see to your meals. Just notify her if you are going to eat out so she doesn't prepare food unnecessarily. I should be back by Thursday at the latest."

Ginny nodded again. "Thank you. And...have a safe trip." The words sounded too formal after the intense intimacy they had shared only 15 hours earlier. The lack of trust between them seemed to be further intensified by the sudden sexual tension. She blushed again as images of Lucius bending her over the kitchen table flashed across her mind. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to look at this man in the eyes again.

Lucius sensed her anxiety, and rose to leave. "I will see you in a few days." He resisted the urge to add, _"Behave yourself in my absence."_ He left her, closing the door behind him, before he said anything more. He was loath to leave her alone for any extended period of time. She was, after all, only 17 years old. Severus had been correct; she was not his child. But she was young, and from what he knew of her, partial to reckless behavior. He had resisted admonishing her to be mindful of her behavior in his absence, but he _had_ asked Lula to keep an eye on her, and report to him regularly. Lucius Malfoy was an inherently wary man.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow, Hermione?" Severus asked, the finely tuned rhythm of his knife never faltering as he prepped potions ingredients for the next several days. He watched the petite brunette closely, still unsettled by her lack of focus the past several weeks. It was the reason he had told Hermione that he did not need her tomorrow, that he was taking a day off from brewing. It was an utter lie, but he was fed up with her recent air-headed tendencies. It was completely unlike her, and Severus was determine to discover the reason behind it.

She nodded unenthusiastically. "Mr. Malfoy is in Paris for the next several days on business, and Ginny invited me to spend the day with her. It will be fun, I suppose."

Severus raised his eyebrows and smirked. "I'm sure that's exactly the kind of enthusiasm Mrs. Malfoy hoped for when she extended the invitation to you."

Hermione's shoulders slumped a bit. "I'm sorry, Severus. Recently the only time – "

She stopped short, her face reddening a little, and busied herself with the ingredients, carefully separating them into labeled containers. Severus cursed inwardly, wishing she hadn't stopped talking. As it was, she had only confirmed his suspicions that there was something she wasn't telling him. It was affecting her emotional state, and by extension, her work with him. He was frustrated to the point that he had considered talking to Sirius about it, but that idea had been pushed aside as quickly as it had occurred to him. The situation would need to be significantly more dire before he would resort to asking for help from the mutt. Old habits die hard, as do old enmities.

Instead, he had decided to see if the new Mrs. Malfoy had noticed anything unusual. He would wait until after tomorrow. Perhaps Hermione would confide in her friend during her day off.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny was relieved to finally hear the floo alarm sound, and she murmured the incantation to allow Hermione to floo into her bedroom, the only fireplace Lucius had given her control of. Everything else had to go through him. She was thrilled to have her best friend alone for an entire night, with no fear of Lucius or a curfew.

"Hermione!" The girls embraced, and when she pulled away, Ginny noticed the dark circles around her friend's eyes. "Merlin, Mione, you look exhausted."

Hermione nodded, a wry smile on her face. "I'm not sleeping too well these days, Ginny."

Ginny grinned. "Well then, a girls'-night-in is exactly what you need! Come on, let's go to the sitting room. Lula can bring us dinner in there."

The girls piled the couch cushions on the floor in front of the fireplace, and made themselves comfortable. Lula delivered several trays of what Ginny referred to as "chick food." There were several pastas, cheeses, fruit, champagne, and to finish it off, a mini chocolate fountain accompanied by a pile of pound cake and marshmallows. They dove right in, talking as much as they could without spewing half chewed fettuccine across the room.

"Bloody hell, this champagne is fantastic!" Hermione exclaimed, downing her glass with very little propriety.

"Hermione Jean Black, watch your mouth!" Ginny scolded, grinning. It was delightful to hear the usually uptight Hermione so foul.

"Wrong season for strawberries, though." Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard Ginny. "They taste like arse." With that final syllable, several pieces of said strawberry flew across the trays into Ginny's face.

"Gross, Hermione! You spit arseberry in my eye!"

Both girls dissolved into laughter, and for a moment it was almost as if they were back at Hogwarts, drinking contraband champagne in the prefects' bathroom. Ginny shrugged off her sweater, laying down and resting her elbows on the floor.

Hermione stopped laughing suddenly. "Ginny, what happened to your back?"

Ginny's face reddened, her breath catching suddenly. She had forgotten about the yellowing bruises on her upper back, evidence of her last encounter with Lucius. She fumbled for words for a moment before muttering a pathetic. "It's nothing."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "He hurt you. Tell me Gin. Now."

Ginny closed her eyes in mortification. What was she supposed to say? _Yes, Hermione, he did, but it's ok. I ended up liking it. Got off on it, actually. And I can't stop thinking about it, or wanting it, and it's freaking me out._

"No, Hermione. He didn't hurt me. It was just-" She paused, scrambling for something that would satisfy her concerned friend. "It was a moment of passion, that's all." There, that would do it. Close enough to the truth, without the sordid details. Ginny was still uncertain of how she felt about the incident; mostly she fluctuated between shame and excitement. She was not ready to share it with Hermione.

Hermione relaxed, but her eyebrows rose. "Passion?" She giggled. "With Malfoy?" The champagne was clearly going to her head. She flopped onto the floor and started giggling hysterically.

Ginny grinned, partially in relief. "Shut up, Hermione. I'm stuck with the man, I might as well make the most of it."

That sent Hermione into another fit of laughter, and it was several minutes before she had calmed. "I wish I had moments of passion."

Ginny felt a stab of pity for her friend. Hermione was quite clearly unhappy. "Still nothing between you?"

Hermione shook her head as she poured herself a fourth glass of champagne. "Nothing. It's not _bad_, mind you. He's a decent shag, always makes sure I get off."

Ginny grinned. Champagne had always been Hermione's weakness.

"But it's just so...mechanical. Everything we do, in the bedroom and otherwise. We literally have nothing in common. There are days when I wish we at least fought once in a while, but there isn't even enough spark to fuel an argument. We just kind of coexist."

Both girls were quiet for a moment. "This is depressing." said Ginny. "Come on, this is girls' night. Take your mind off of marriage and tell me something happy. How's the internship?"  
Hermione finished glass four and poured a fifth. "Brilliant, Ginny. I hope that when my 6 months are up Severus offers me a permanent position. I enjoyed potions before, but now I am obsessed. Severus is a genius. He rarely follows any potion recipe exactly, because he has such a deep understanding of what each ingredient does. He adjusts to make the potions _better._ I keep telling him to write a potions manual of his own, but he says he doesn't want to share his secrets with everyone. I can't believe I used to think he was mean – Merlin, I just love him!'

Hermione stopped gushing when she realized what she'd just said, and her face reddened. "I didn't mean it like that."

Ginny instantly knew better. "Hermione Black, you did too mean it like that! You've fallen for Snape. I knew it! I knew it from the way you talked about him the day we went shopping, and now you've admitted it. "

Hermione dropped her head in her hands. "Don't tell anyone, Gin. I would die if he knew! And Sirius too...please keep it to yourself?"

Ginny nodded. "Of course, Hermione. But be careful. You are married to Sirius, probably forever. You are going to have a lot of heartache if you let this crush go too far."

Hermione sighed. "I know, I know, I am just being silly. I mean, even if I weren't married, I would never tell Severus. He would probably curse me and cut off my internship. It's just a phase."

Ginny patted Hermione's hand sympathetically. "Come on, Mione. Let's look at books. That will make you feel better."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Really, Gin? I've been wanting to browse since I got here, but I didn't want to spoil our night with books if you didn't want to..."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "One hour, Hermione, and then it's back to champagne and gossip."

Hermione grinned. "Deal!"

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	26. Chapter 26

**Dear Readers,**

** What was it I said to some of you...A week before the next update? Oops. Truth is, I had the next chapter written, but then I decided I hated it. Hey, I'm a writer. I get to be temperamental sometimes. Anyway, here is 26. It's kinda short, shorter than I like to post, but I figured something was better than nothing, right? So I resisted the urge to make it longer before I posted it. And from now on, I'm not making any promises about updates. It just compounds my guilt. **

** But for real, I do love you all, especially those who review and tell me to get my butt moving. The encouragement and criticisms all help. **

** LITTLEKAT1010**

********THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE**

Lucius rubbed his temples in frustration. _Focus. _He could not seem to keep his mind on the financial negotiations he was supposed to be handling. Usually this was exactly the sort of thing he enjoyed about dealing with his estates; the intense negotiations, the financial juggling, the arguing and the manipulating, trying to figure out exactly how far an opponent could be pushed, and when to compromise. But the last two days had been exceedingly frustrating. He was expanding his holdings in France, and the financial agreement and resulting expenses should have been easy to draw up. But there had been one small complication after another, stalling the process until Lucius was almost ready to walk out and tell them that they could find another buyer. That would be foolish, he knew. He was getting an unbelievable price on the property.

_Bloody French. _Lucius usually enjoyed his time in Paris, but at this moment he wanted nothing more than to be back at Malfoy Manor. He was anxious to return to the girl, and finish their discussion. He was anxious that the passing days would give her time to rethink everything. He wanted to be certain she did not change her mind while he was away, not to mention the small matter of completing their quota before the end of the week. Unless he wanted to risk the Ministry knocking on his door step inquiring after his sex life, he needed to wrap this up today.

With a sigh, Lucius pulled his mind away from home and the girl, and back to the matter before him.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Ginny was surprised when she felt the tug of the floo system not long after Hermione left the next day. She groaned. There was only one person with access to the Manor besides herself. She was hung over and exhausted. Why didn't she and Hermione ever remember the consequences of all night drinking and talking until it was too late? The last thing she wanted right now was to entertain Snape. She smoothed her hair back and tried to look like her head wasn't about to explode as her former professor stepped out of the fireplace.

"Good morning Mrs. Malfoy."

Ginny winced.

"Oh, sorry. Too loud?" Snarky bastard.

"Did you ever consider owling me before simply appearing in my living room?" Ginny's headache and short temper were making her rather more bold that she typically would be, and it seemed to amuse Severus.

"Never crossed my mind, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Stop calling me that."

"That is your name."

"My name is Ginny."

Snape considered her for a moment, his black eyes inscrutable. "Very well, Ginevra." He conceded, ignoring her scowl at his use of her full name.

"Lucius isn't home, Professor." Ginny reached for the cup of coffee Lula had brought her. Just the strong scent of the drink seemed to clear her head a little. She took a sip. Perfection.

"I am well aware of that, Ginevra. And I am not your professor any more. You are the wife of my closest friend. Severus will do just fine."

Ginny was confused. "You're here to see me?"

Severus nodded. "To talk to you, rather. But could I trouble your elf for a strong cup of coffee? I'm afraid it's been a rather trying few days."

Ginny reddened. Lucius would have certainly berated her for her complete lack of social grace. Hungover or not, she should have remembered to offer a guest refreshment, instead of just enjoying her own coffee in his presence. She called for Lula and rectified the situation, murmuring her apologies to Severus as he sat in Lucius's usual chair.

"Don't mention it, Ginevra. I can see you are not feeling quite your best, so I'll come right to the point." He sipped his coffee, a ghost of a smile flitting across his face when he tasted the Irish cream. He was here much too often if the house elf knew him that well.

"I am here about my apprentice."

Ginny sputtered as a gulp of too-hot coffee burned her throat. Severus raised his eyebrows. She recovered, brushing the droplets of spilled coffee off of her shirt.

"What about Hermione?" She avoided her professors eyes.

"She has been...not quite herself lately. She's been distracted, clumsy, unfocused. I have attempted to get her to talk to me, without success. I was hoping she might have confided in you last night."

Ginny cursed herself for reddening so quickly. She had never been very good at hiding her emotions.

Severus continued, his dark eyes never leaving her face. "Is there something I should know about, something at home, perhaps? Something involving the mutt?"  
Ginny fought back her annoyance at his slur for Sirius. There was fault both ways for their feud, she knew. Sirius spoke no better of the potions master. "She's an 18 year old dealing with an arranged marriage. Don't you think it's natural that she's distracted?"

Severus' face darkened. "You are deflecting, Ginevra, and you're hiding something. What did she tell you?"

Damn this man, there was no use hiding anything from him. Ginny rubbed her temples, willing the pain away and trying to formulate a satisfactory response. She decided to be frank. "She did confide in me, yes. We've come to lean on each other quite a bit lately." she took a deep breath. "But I am sorry, Severus. I cannot betray her trust. What she told me was for my ears alone. Even I had to drag it out of her. If she ever wants to tell you, she will." _Fat chance, though. _"I think -" She hesitated, not wanting to give anything away. "I think it is something that will pass. She isn't in any trouble, there is no danger to her." _Just her heart._

Severus scowled. He was clearly displeased with that answer, and she half expected a "Legilimens!", but he just downed the rest of his coffee and stood to go. "I hope you are right, Mrs. Malfoy. I'm tired of having a half-wit for an apprentice. She's costing me a fortune in ingredients."

Ginny didn't miss the note of sincere concern beneath the harsh words. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you more, Severus. She'll be back to normal shortly." _I hope._

With one last scrutinizing look and a whirl of billowing black robes, he disappeared into the flames.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

Severus was utterly irritated. He should have expected Ginevra to be true to her friend; he was the one who had told Lucius of her fierce personality. That fierceness translated into intense loyalty when it came to Hermione. And he trusted her when she said that Hermione was in no danger, no serious trouble of any kind.

Yet here he was, eyeing the girl over a steaming cauldron, afraid to turn his back in case she made some absurd error while she was brewing. He had been tempted to owl her that he didn't require her assistance today, but the fact was, he did. He was sorely behind in several potions that Madame Pomfrey needed as soon as possible. As the hours stretched on, he began to relax. His pupil seemed more focused than she had the last several days. She wasn't quite back to her usual, annoyingly chatty, inquisitive self yet, but she was brewing accurately at a steady pace.

Severus gathered up several bottles of completed sleeping draught and moved back into his storage room to find a place for them on the shelves. A loud explosion and a scream sent him cursing back into the brewing room.

"Miss Granger!?" He rushed over to where she lay on the floor, sputtering and coughing. Her hair and robe were singed, but she was fine. Concern turned to relief as he helped her to her feet, and then to anger.

"What the hell happened?"

She avoided his eyes, her face reddening. "I'm sorry, sir, I – I thought I followed the instructions -"

Severus sniffed the cauldron, then picked up the open vial on the table, the ingredient that had caused the explosion. He froze. "Bloody hell, girl, this is Baneberry. It can't be mixed with Fluxweed! You could have killed yourself!"

Hermione paled, shaking her head. "I thought it said Betony, not Baneberry. I misread -"

Severus grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "You misread? You fucking misread it?"

Her eyes welled up. "Stop it! You're hurting me!"

He tightened his grasp. "What the hell is going on, Granger? Huh? It's been a month of poor performance, like you are only half here. You're clumsy, forgetful, and a bloody waste of time."

She shook her head again, wincing against his fingers digging into her arms. "It's nothing! Nothing is wrong!"

"Fuck that." Severus growled. He grabbed her jaw and forced her eyes up to meet his. "Legilimens."

_Emotion hit him. Confused emotion. Guilt. Shame. Lust. Need. Grief._

_ She was trying to hide something, frantically. He was getting focused flashes of childhood memories, but the emotions she conveyed didn't match the happy memories. He pushed back harder, and heard her mind cry out at the painful forced intrusion. He didn't care to be gentle. He wanted to know._

_ He got past the feeble wall she had thrown up to stop him. He saw the mutt, got glimpses of their awkward conversations, passionless encounters. Desperation. Hopelessness. Sadness. Guilt._

_ He saw glimpses of her internship, the brewing, the learning. Happiness. Excitement. Relief._

_ He saw himself. Admiration. Respect. Lust. Need. Guilt. Fear._

He withdrew.

He was still grasping her forearms hard. Her eyes were shut, and tear streamed from them. "I'm sorry." She whispered, shame and regret written across her face.

He released her and turned away. "Go." He swallowed down the desire to say anything he might regret. He waited until he heard the door to his study slam before he sank down into his desk and dropped his face into his hands.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG


End file.
